Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS) - The Process
IBS is the supreme discipline among all optical coating techniques and generates the most dense and compact coatings.
NANEO owes the high quality of its product range to its manufacturing process, i.e. Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS). No other coating technique allows process parameters such as energy and growth rate to be set precisely and independently from one another. Using this process, the coating material (target) is bombarded with noble gas ions. The impinging ions sputter off particles of coating materials, which deposit on the substrates to be coated. By adding oxygen to the process, the deposition result is a perfect metal oxide. Due to their high kinetic energy, the sputtered atoms arriving at the objects surface are extremely mobile, whereby displacements occur and any defects in the accumulating particle film are eliminated. This results in extremely smooth and homogeneous layers in regard to the optical properties of the product. Several 100 layers can be stacked using this method, thereby transforming the substrates into optical components with complex functionality and the highest quality standards. The advantage of Ion Beam Sputtering compared to other coating processes lies in the extremely low intrinsic absorption of the layers, paired with a very high long-term stability of their optical properties. The optics absorb less light and have increased performance for the same complexity of the layer system (i.e. number of layers), or with comparable absorption and dispersion the optical functionality can be increased by using more layers.
Optical Design Precision Measurement IBS Coating Research & Development
The design development is carried out exclusively by our engineers and plays a central role already in the bidding process and the subsequent manufacturing process.
For the design and development of optical coatings our engineers use advanced software such as Matlab and Optilayer which is fully adapted to our requirements.
Precision Measurement
Precision coatings are only possible if the measurement technique meets the high requirements of the IBS coating.
The precise measurement technology in our IBS system is a development of NANEO. Permanent dispersion and layer thickness measurements accompany the whole production process. Measurement resolutions of < 1 Å are possible.
IBS Coating
Principle structure of an IBS coating machine.
Our Research and Development is very closely linked to our products and production processes. Results of R & D are integrated into the process as quickly as possible and applied to new or modified products. The R & D contributes directly to the improving performance of the company.
Our innovations are developed in a team that is constantly working on new technologies related to the topic of precision coatings. International research cooperation and a close-knit and well-coordinated network of third-party developers support our Research and Development department.
Heuriedweg 31a
D-88131 Lindau, Germany
Phone +49 (0) 8382 911 3950
Facsimile +49 (0) 8382 911 3399
www.naneo.com
sales@naneo.com
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