Ceramic Substrate with Functional Coating for Optical Durability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional optical components made of glass, plastics, or glass ceramics suffer from low strength, temperature resistance, and scratch resistance, and are prone to distortion and chemical attacks, limiting their application in high-performance optical systems.

Innovation Solution

A material composite comprising a polycrystalline ceramic substrate with a functional coating deposited using a PVD process, which offers high temperature resistance, improved adhesion, and enhanced mechanical and chemical durability, allowing for high-energy coating processes without substrate distortion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional substrates (glass, plastics, glass ceramics) are used for optical components, then manufacturing cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but strength, temperature resistance, and scratch resistance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidstrength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials by combining ceramic substrates with functional coatings. The ceramic substrate provides high strength, temperature resistance, and scratch resistance, while the functional coating provides optical functionality. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by achieving both mechanical durability and optical performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If coating temperature is increased to improve layer density and adhesion, then coating quality is improved, but substrate distortion and chemical attacks increase for conventional materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelayer adhesionVSAvoidsubstrate distortion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the substrate material parameter from conventional glass or plastic to ceramic, which has higher temperature resistance. This parameter change allows the coating process to be performed at higher temperatures (improving layer adhesion) without causing substrate distortion or chemical attacks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If ceramic substrates are used to improve strength and temperature resistance, then mechanical durability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the optical component into two distinct parts: a ceramic substrate providing mechanical durability and a functional coating providing optical functionality. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the substrate for strength and the coating for optical performance - thereby managing manufacturing complexity through functional separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Adaptability or versatility

If functional coatings are deposited on conventional substrates, then optical functionality is added, but the underlying material limitations (low strength, poor scratch resistance) remain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical functionalityVSAvoidscratch resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite material structure where the ceramic substrate provides scratch resistance and mechanical durability, while the functional coating provides optical functionality. This composite approach ensures that the underlying material limitations of conventional substrates are eliminated while maintaining the desired optical capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The ceramic substrate with a functional coating provides increased strength, scratch resistance, and chemical inertness, enabling the use of optical components in high-temperature, mechanically loaded, and chemically demanding applications while maintaining transparency and color neutrality.

Implementation Method 1

a functional coating which has been deposited using a PVD process

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical vapor deposition: Physical Vapour Deposition

Data Source

PatentEP3097066B1Ceramic substrate with a functional coating

Publication Date: 2024.05.15 FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV

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AI summary

The invention relates to a material composite made of a ceramic substrate having a functional coating. The optical functional coating comprises at least one functional layer and the refractive index of the optical functional coating relative to the refractive index of the ceramic substrate is at a ratio of 1,5:1 to 1:1,5.