Laser beam conditioning
Metallic Mirrors: Substrate, coating band and surface figure set the transmitted or reflected wavefront, and the damage threshold sets the power the optic can carry.
Coating types
| Coating | Description |
|---|---|
| Gold-coated | In the infrared spectral region, gold film has higher reflectivity and better chemical stability than silver and aluminium. After environmental testing, gold film keeps good optical properties and good adhesion of the film layer in harsh environments. High-performance coated gold mirrors with firm film. |
| Silver-coated | Protected silver coating mirrors with good adhesion of the film layer and good anti-friction. |
| Aluminium-coated | UV-enhanced aluminium and protected aluminium. Because bare aluminium is extremely delicate and susceptible to damage, a protective overcoat is layered over the aluminium to prolong the life of the mirror. |
Handling notes
| Coating | Note |
|---|---|
| Gold-coated | The mechanical strength of gold film is very low: clean the surface with a compressed-gas duster only, with great care. Wear laser protective goggles when checking the light path and adjusting the optical axis. |
| Silver-coated | For long-term storage, use a deoxidiser to prevent oxidation of the silver film. |
| Aluminium-coated | Aluminium mirrors without a protective film are easily damaged and the film oxidises. Do not wipe the mirror with paper or cloth; use an antioxidant to prevent oxidation of the aluminium oxide layer for long-term storage. Where several mirrors are used in series, consider multi-layer dielectric reflectors instead of aluminium. |
Specification
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Material | K9, fused silica |
| Product application | Digital equipment, measuring instruments and laser medical equipment |
Application context
Why this design is used
Application fit depends on the ordered configuration; catalog values are separated from fields that still require confirmation.
Spectroscopy and fluorescence
Metallic Mirrors: Edge steepness, blocking depth and passband transmission at the working angle decide how well the excitation is separated from the signal.
Engineering reference
Specify Metallic Mirrors from the interfaces inward
Metallic Mirrors is a configurable free-space optical component in the Optics, filters and coatings family. The final part number should be released only after the optical, mechanical, electrical and environmental fields below are matched to the intended instrument.
A free-space optic is specified by the wavelength band and angle of incidence its coating is designed for, the clear aperture the beam actually uses, and the substrate, surface quality and damage threshold the application demands. Catalogue figures are quoted at a reference wavelength and angle; performance shifts away from them.
Selection guidance describes the engineering fields that must be checked. It does not assign an option-dependent value that is absent from the catalog record.
Configuration fields to confirm
- Wavelength and coating band
- State the operating wavelength or band and whether anti-reflection, high-reflection, edge or notch behaviour is required there.
- Angle of incidence and polarization
- Confirm the working angle and input polarization; coating bands and splitting ratios move with both.
- Size and clear aperture
- Size the optic from the beam diameter at that plane, including the margin the mount consumes, and state diameter, thickness and tolerances.
- Substrate and surface quality
- Choose substrate material, surface quality, flatness or figure and centration against the wavefront error the system allows.
- Power handling
- Provide average and peak power, beam diameter and pulse duration so the damage-threshold margin can be checked.
- Mounting and environment
- Confirm mount type, orientation, temperature, humidity and cleaning constraints of the coating.
Qualification sequence
- 1Define the measurement objective and the performance limit that Metallic Mirrors must satisfy.
- 2Freeze wavelength, mechanical, fiber and electrical interfaces before selecting option codes.
- 3Check loss, noise, heat, motion or vibration contributions in the complete system budget.
- 4Confirm the final drawing, pinout, environmental suffix and acceptance test with the quotation.
Technical FAQ
Configuration questions for Metallic Mirrors
What must be specified before ordering Metallic Mirrors?
Confirm wavelength and coating band, angle of incidence and polarization, size and clear aperture, substrate and surface quality, power handling, and mounting and environment. These fields are coupled, so the final part number should be checked against the complete instrument rather than selected from the model name alone.
How should Metallic Mirrors be integrated into the system?
A free-space optic is specified by the wavelength band and angle of incidence its coating is designed for, the clear aperture the beam actually uses, and the substrate, surface quality and damage threshold the application demands. Catalogue figures are quoted at a reference wavelength and angle; performance shifts away from them. Freeze the optical, mechanical and electrical interfaces before releasing the surrounding assembly.
Which documentation should be approved for Metallic Mirrors?
Approve the configuration-specific specification, mechanical drawing, connector or pinout definition, environmental suffix and acceptance-test limits supplied with the quotation. Any field absent from the local record remains a confirmation item, not an assumed capability.