Title

Knowledge-Based Optical Coatings Design And Manufacturing

Abstract

The theory of thin film optics is well developed for the spectral analysis of a given optical coating. The inverse synthesis - designing an optical coating for a certain spectral performance - is more complicated. Usually a multitude of theoretical designs is feasible because most design problems are over-determined with the number of layers possible with three variables each (n, k, t). The expertise of a good thin film designer comes in at this point with a mostly intuitive selection of certain designs based on previous experience and current manufacturing capabilities. Manufacturing a designed coating poses yet another subset of multiple solutions, as thin film deposition technology has evolved over the years with a vast variety of different processes. The abundance of published literature may often be more confusing than helpful to the practicing thin film engineer, even if he has time and opportunity to read it. The choice of the right process is also severely limited by the given manufacturing hardware and cost considerations which may not easily allow for the adaption of a new manufacturing approach, even if it promises to be better technically (it ought to be also cheaper). On the user end of the thin film coating business, the typical optical designer or engineering who needs an optical coating may have limited or no knowledge at all about the theoretical and manufacturing criteria for the optimum selection of what he needs. This can be sensed frequently by overly tight tolerances and requirements for optical performances which sometimes stretch the limits of mother nature. We introduce here a knowledge-based system (KBS) intended to assist expert designers and manufacturers in their task of maximizing results and minimizing errors, trial runs and unproductive time. It will help the experts to manipulte parameters which are largely determined through heuristic reasoning by employing artificial intelligence techniques. In a later state, the KBS will include a module allowing the layman user of coatings to make the right choice.

Publication Date

1-1-1990

Publication Title

Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Volume

1324

Number of Pages

55-66

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1117/12.22416

Socpus ID

0025550366 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0025550366

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