Process for producing released vapor deposited films and product produced thereby

A process for providing a coating containing at least one layer of vapour deposited material having a particular pattern on a substrate which is unsuitable for vapour deposition coating at least at a rapid rate, said process comprising:

• providing a metal substrate made of a material selected from the group consisting of a valve metal and an anodizable valve metal alloy, at least at an exposed surface thereof;
• subjecting said metal substrate to anodization at said exposed surface to form an anodic film of an oxide of said valve metal, said anodization being carried out in the presence of a fluoride as an adhesion-reducing agent in limited areas of said surface forming said desired pattern but in the absence of a fluoride in other remaining areas of said surface in order to make said film readily detachable from said metal substrate in said limited areas but substantially undetachable in said remaining areas;
• coating said anodic film with at lest one layer of inorganic material by a vapour deposition process to form a partially releasable film;
• attaching to said film said substrate which is unsuitable for vapour deposition coating;
• and
• detaching said releasable film from said metal substrate in said limited areas.

A process for forming an optical device made up of one or more layers of dielectric material and/or metal supported on a heat-sensitive substrate, said process comprising;

• providing a metal substrate made of a material selected form the group consisting of a value metal and an anodizable value metal alloy, at least at an exposed surface thereof;
• subjecting said metal substrate to anodization at said exposed surface to form an anodic film of an oxide of said value metal, said anodization being carried out in the presence of a fluoride as an adhesion-reducing agent in limited areas of said surface but in the absence of a fluoride in other remaining areas of said surface in order to make said film readily detachable from said metal substrate in said limited areas but substantially undetachable in said remaining areas;
• coating said anodic film with at least one layer of dielectric material or metal by a vapour deposition process to from a partially releasable film;
• attaching to said film said heat sensitive substrate;
• and
• detaching said releasable film from said metal substrate in said limited areas.

A released film comprising a layer of a value metal oxide and at least one layer of vapour deposited inorganic material, said released film having been produced by a process which comprises:

• providing a metal substrate made of a material selected from the group consisting of a value metal and an anodizable valve metal alloy, at least at an exposed surface thereof;
• subjecting said metal substrate to anodization at said exposed surface to form an anodic film of an oxide of said value metal, said anodization being carried out in the presence of a fluoride as an adhesion-reducing agent in limited areas of said surface but in the absence of a fluoride in other remaining areas of said surface in order to make said film readily detachable from said substrate in said limited areas but substantially undetachable in said remaining areas;
• coating said anodic film with at least one layer of inorganic material by a vapour deposition process to form a partially releasable film of desired structure;
• and
• detaching said releasable film from said metal substrate in said limited areas.

A substrate unsuitable for vapour deposition coating, at least at a rapid rate, having a coating thereon containing at least one layer of vapour deposited material having a particular pattern, said coated substrate having been produced by:

• providing a metal substrate made of a material selected from the group consisting of a valve metal and an anodizable valve metal alloy, at least at an exposed surface thereof;
• subjecting said metal substrate to anodization at said exposed surface to form an anodic film of an oxide of said valve metal, said anodization being carried out in the presence of a fluoride as an adhesion-reducing agent in limited areas of said surface forming said desired pattern but in the absence of a fluoride in other remaining areas of said surface in order to make said film readily detachable from said metal substrate in said limited areas but substantially undetachable in said remaining areas;
• coating said anodic film with at least one layer of inorganic material by a vapour deposition process to form a partially releasable film;
• attaching to said film said substrate which is unsuitable for vapour deposition coating;
• and
• detaching said releasable film from said metal substrate in said limited areas.