Dontech uses a wide array of high energy, vacuum deposition systems for applying thin film dichroic coatings to diverse types of glass, plastic, and crystalline substrates. Deposition systems are capable of DC, pulsed DC and AC magnetron sputtering, and ion-enhanced (IAD) e-beam evaporation. Optical performance is contingent on and constrained by the substrate’s intrinsic material properties, including thermal stability, mechanical tolerances, and surface qualities.
Dontech designs and manufactures custom dichroic optical filters using multilayer, thin-film coating stacks to provide specified spectral reflection and transmission as a function of wavelength, angle of incidence (AOI), and polarization. Designs range from simple edge filters to multi-band beam routing optics, as required by customer’s end-use specifications, and include integration into various applications including ruggedized defense systems, medical instrumentation, industrial sensing, aviation and aerospace applications
Dontech’s highly specialized precision optics are appropriate for applications ranging from transparent heating and EMI / RFI shielding exit optics used in military targeting systems to dichroic filters used across commercial photonics, medical instrumentation, industrial sensing, and aerospace systems. These products result from the combination of dedicated optics-domain experts with attention to continued improvement, research, and development and the custom fine tuning and control of conventional coating techniques. Dontech’s optical design specialists are capable of supporting comprehensive performance requirements.
Short-wave pass (SWP) dichroic filters, often referred to as hot mirrors, are designed to transmit desired shorter wavelengths while reflecting unwanted longer-wavelength energy such as upper-visible red, Near IR (NIR), and IR. In LCD backlighting systems, these longer wavelengths are often considered unwanted “noise.” In high-intensity illumination and UV or visible curing systems, they are a major source of heat. By transmitting the useful visible and / or UV light while reflecting heat-generating wavelengths, SWP filters help improve optical performance and protect temperature-sensitive products from blistering, bowing, curling, and other thermal damage. These filters are used in a wide range of commercial, industrial, avionics, and military applications, including NVIS-compatible full-color LCDs.
For the application of night vision imaging system (NVIS) compatibility, hot mirrors can be used for a full color LCD per MIL-STD-3009 in military, avionic and high-end industrial applications. For example, the transmission curve for CN303-11 transmits over 88% of an LCD’s red, green, blue (RGB) components while reflecting over 99% of the energy from 655 to 930 nm.
Dontech can support early design-for-manufacture feedback based on your optical layout, substrate choice, and target performance; by tailoring the combination of substrate and coating selection, Dontech can meet program-specific optical and environmental requirements.
As applicable, designs can be qualified to stringent optical and environmental standards. Dontech has extensive engineering and technical support resources that can assist with your dichroic coating selection and design needs. Our technical staff have diverse backgrounds relevant to high-performance display and precision optics markets. We support our customers from initial concept through final system delivery, often functioning as an extension of their engineering department. Dontech’s vertical integration capabilities allow for our optical filters and other enhancing components to be seamlessly incorporated into touchscreens, displays and systems as needed by our customers.
