THE CHALLENGE

Fresnel losses through reflective surfaces can be sustantional for multiple optic surveillance/reconnaissance imaging systems, particularly for high index materials in the infrared.

THE SOLUTION

We have expertise in designing and fabricating broadband anti-reflective surface structure treatments for a variety of infrared materials and helped the U.S. Air Force develop a lithography-free fabrication process to create monolithic, randomly-placed, size-controlled structures on the surfaces of both planar (i.e. windows) and curved (i.e. lenses) optical components. The surface structures are smaller than the wavelength of light and provide a refractive index gradient between the air and the medium. This process creates optical windows with improved transmission over two octaves of spectrum and with an incident angle of 0°- 65°. The ability to apply this AR treatment to curved surfaces enables its use in complex optical systems. The monolithic nature of our AR treatments eliminates concern of flaking, peeling, or breakdown under intense electric fields that commonly occur with traditional multi-layer dielectric coatings.

BENEFIT TO CLIENT

Increased transmission for high index optics needed in the infrared, means more light transmission through the optical/infrared scene view system with improved contract of potential threats/targets.