Aluminum mirrors passivated with an AlF3 overcoat and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

A passivated reflective laminate is formed by positioning a substrate in a first reaction chamber; placing the first reaction chamber under vacuum with the substrate therein; depositing an aluminum layer on the substrate while maintaining the vacuum; exposing the aluminum layer to XeF2 gas to form an AlF3 layer on the aluminum layer while maintaining the vacuum; and breaking the vacuum to obtain the passivated reflective laminate. The AlF3 layer is a surface layer on the passivated reflective laminate. The passivated reflective laminate may optionally be positioned in a second reaction chamber, and the second reaction chamber may be placed under vacuum with the passivated reflective laminate therein. In the second reaction chamber, a dielectric layer is deposited on the passivated reflective laminate; and the vacuum is broken to allow removal of the passivated reflective laminate from the second reactor. The dielectric layer on the passivated reflective laminate is a surface layer covering the AlF3 layer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.