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INTRODUCTION
SPUTTERING
ORDERING
USE

Plasma and Sputter Deposited Thin Film

Introduction

Recently, Ferroperm Optics A/S has finished developing a hard coating technology utilizing an electron gun in a plasma chamber at high vacuum.

This gives us the opportunity of offering filters with hard coatings to our customers. These filters can overcome some of the drawbacks of conventional soft coatings - among other things, mainly physical and environmental damage and shorter lifetime.

As soft coating technologies are widely used, methods of protection of soft films are so highly evolved that in many environments, the difference in product life between a protected soft coating and an exposed hard coating is imperceptible. If, however, the application of the filter you need sets restrictions on the size (i.e. thickness) or has special environmental requirements (e.g. temperature stability), hard coatings are the solution.

Sputter deposited thin films

When extreme mechanical stability is needed, Ferroperm Optics A/S can provide sputter deposited coatings. Sputtering is a process where material is removed from a source (the so-called target) by bombardment of energetic ions - normally Ar-ions - and then accelerated by a field to the substrate to be coated.

As this is an energetic process, the film is more durable than normally seen by thermal evaporation. Most elements and compounds can be deposited on a variety of materials.

What to consider when ordering hard coated filters

When ordering hard coated filters from Ferroperm Optics, A/S the following parameters are important to consider:

Is it essential that your coating is hard (it might be more economical to use a soft coating)?
Go through the same category in the product description of the type of filter you want to order

A short list of where hard coatings are more useful

When ordering hard coated filters from Ferroperm Optics, A/S the following parameters are important to consider:

Is it essential that your coating is hard (it might be more economical to use a soft coating)?
Go through the same category in the product description of the type of filter you want to order