Ion-Implanted Infrared Substrates With Durable Low Reflectance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrates for infrared optical elements face challenges in achieving low reflectance in the infrared wavelength range (800 nm to 3 µm) while maintaining low visible light reflectance and neutral or blue-green tint, particularly with current anti-reflective coatings which are not durable enough.
Innovation Solution
Ion implantation of substrates with a mixture of single and multicharge ions, such as N, H, O, He, Ne, Ar, or Kr, at specific acceleration voltages and dosages creates a bi-layer structure with a porous layer, reducing infrared reflectance and maintaining low visible light reflectance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If multi-layer anti-reflective coatings are used to reduce infrared reflectance, then infrared transmission is improved, but durability and resistance to physical damage deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the anti-reflective coating function with the substrate itself by ion-implanting the substrate surface to create a porous layer. This merges the substrate and coating into a single integrated structure, eliminating the durability issues of separate coatings while maintaining the infrared transmission benefit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a porous layer within the substrate through ion implantation. This porous structure reduces the refractive index of the surface layer, thereby reducing infrared reflectance and improving transmission, while the porous structure is inherently more durable than conventional coatings.
2Loss of energy
If anti-reflective coatings are applied to reduce infrared reflectance, then infrared transmission is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the anti-reflective function from separate multi-layer coatings and integrates it directly into the substrate through ion implantation. This eliminates the need for complex multi-layer coating structures and their associated manufacturing equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the substrate surface through ion implantation, creating a porous layer with modified refractive index. This single parameter change approach replaces complex multi-layer coating structures.
3Loss of energy
If conventional substrates are used, then visible light reflectance is maintained at neutral levels, but infrared reflectance is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality modification by creating a porous layer only at the substrate surface through ion implantation. This localized modification affects primarily the infrared range while preserving the substrate's bulk optical properties for visible light, maintaining neutral visible reflectance.
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 ion implantation process effectively reduces infrared reflectance by 1-3% in the specified wavelength range while maintaining low visible light reflectance, achieving a neutral or blue-green color and improving mechanical durability.
Implementation Method 1
The invention relates to the use of implanted ions implanted into a substrate in order to reduce its reflectance of infrared light
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses the use of implanted ions within a substrate to decrease the infrared reflectance of a substrate for transmitting infrared light, where the ions are selected from one or more of the ions of N, H, O, He, Ne, Ar, and Kr and are implanted in the substrate with a dosage comprised between 1016 ions/cm² and 2 × 1017 ions/cm², and an acceleration voltage AV comprised between 5.5 kV and 450 kV.