Polymer Nanocomposite Thin Film Mirror for the Infrared Region (Preprint)
Abstract
Thin film metal oxide coatings have been used commercially for electromagnetic filters from the UV to the infra red regions for over half a century. Deposition onto a substrate has typically been accomplished using vapor deposition techniques and more recently sol-gel methods. These coatings provide very good optical performance under abrasion, thermal cycles and variable humidity when applied on substrates with similar thermal and mechanical properties. When conventional metal oxide coatings are applied to flexible, relatively soft substrates such as polymers, mismatches in mechanical properties can reduce interfacial adhesion or accelerate mechanical failures. The authors recently developed anti-reflective optical filters utilizing self-assembled thin film polymer nanocomposites on polymer substrates using less than five discrete layers. This paper describes the first time demonstration of an IR mirror using fifteen discrete layers with an IR-reflectance that exceeds 90 percent at 1064 nm and transparent in the visible spectrum.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA473514
Entities
People
- E. Grulke
- N. Mandzy
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory