Multi-spectral filter

An optical thin film filter for the spatial and spectral separation of two or more transmitting bands of radiant energy which comprises:

• a. a substrate having at least one surface for receiving coatings and which is substantially transparent to said radiant energy at the wavelength bands of interest;
• b. a first coating on one surface of said substrate, said first coating capable of transmitting two or more wavelength bands of interest and reflecting or absorbing all other out of band wavelengths;
• c. a first photolithographic patterned coating capable of reflecting all but one wavelength band of radiant energy transmitted by said first coating;
• and,
• d. a second photolithographic patterned least one wavelength band transmitted by said first coating and capable of transmitting at least one wavelength band different than the wavelength band transmitted by said first photolithographic patterned coating, said second photolithographic patterned coating reflecting all other wavelength bands;
• whereby said first and second photolithographic patterned coatings are provided on the same surface of the substrate as said first coating, in discrete abutting and non-overlapping regions, and wherein said first coating (b) is provided directly on top of the first and second photolithographic patterned coatings.

An optical thin film filter for the spatial and spectral separation of two or more transmitting bands of radiant energy which comprises:

• a. a substrate having at least one surface for receiving coatings and which is substantially transparent to said radiant energy at the wavelength bands of interest;
• b. a first coating on one surface of said substrate, said first coating capable of transmitting at least two wavelength bands of interest and reflecting or absorbing all other out of band wavelengths;
• c. a first photolithographic patterned coating capable of reflecting all but one wavelength band of radiant energy transmitted by said first coating, and capable of modifying its transmission band;
• and,
• d. a second photolithographic patterned coating which is capable of transmitting at least one wavelength band transmitted by said first coating and capable of transmitting at least one wavelength band different than the band transmitted by said first photolithographic patterned coating while reflecting all other wavelength bands, said second photolithographic patterned coating also capable of modifying its transmission band,
• whereby said first and second photolithographic patterned coatings are provided on a second surface of said substrate, opposite to said first coating, in discrete, abutting and non-overlapping regions.

An optical thin film filter for the spatial and spectral separation of two or more transmitting bands of radiant energy which comprises:

• a. a substrate having at least one surface for receiving coatings and which is substantially transparent to said radiant energy at the wavelength bands of interest;
• b. a first coating on one surface of said substrate, said first coating capable of transmitting at least two wavelength bands of interest and reflecting or absorbing all other out of band wavelengths;
• c. a first photolithographic patterned coating capable of reflecting all but one wavelength band of radiant energy transmitted by said first coating, and capable of modifying its transmission band;
• and,
• d. a second photolithographic patterned coating which is capable of transmitting at least one wavelength band transmitted by said first coating and capable of transmitting at least one wavelength band different than the wavelength band transmitted by said first photolithographic patterned coating while reflecting all other wavelength bands, said second lithographic patterned coating also capable of modifying its transmission band;
• whereby said first and second photolithographic patterned coatings are provided on the same surface of the substrate as said first coating, in discrete abutting and non-overlapping regions, and wherein said first coating is provided directly on top of the first and second photolithographic patterned coatings.

An optical thin film filter for the spatial and spectral separation of two or more transmitting bands of radiant energy which comprises:

• a. a substrate having at least one surface for receiving coatings and which is substantially transparent to said radiant energy at the wavelength bands of interest;
• b. a first coating on one surface of said substrate, said first coating capable of transmitting at least two wavelength bands of interest and reflecting or absorbing all other out of band wavelengths, said first coating acting as a wide band transmitting coating with short wavelength and long wavelength edges of said transmission band being one edge of two distinct and different colors;
• c. a first photolithographic patterned coating capable of reflecting all but one wavelength band of radiant energy transmitted by said first coating, said first photolithographic coating providing the second transmission edge for one color;
• and,
• d. a second photolithographic patterned coating which is capable of transmitting at least one wavelength band transmitted by said first coating and capable of transmitting at least one band different than the wavelength band transmitted by said first photolithographic patterned coating, said second photolithographic patterned coating reflecting all other bands, said second photolithographic coating providing the second transmission edge for the second color bracketed by the first coating;
• whereby said first and second photolithographic patterned coatings are provided on a second surface of said substrate, opposite to said first coating, in discrete, abutting and non-overlapping regions.

An optical filter system for the spatial and spectral separation of two or more transmitting bands of radiant energy which comprises:

• a. a substrate having at least one surface for receiving coatings and which is substantially transparent to said radiant energy at the wavelength bands of interest;
• b. a multispectral coating on one surface of said substrate, said multispectral coating capable of transmitting two or more wavelength bands of interest and reflecting or absorbing all other out of band wavelengths;
• and,
• c. two or more switch coatings, which provide suitable transmission of one wavelength band of interest, which wavelength band is different than that transmitted by the other switch coatings, while blocking the transmission of all other wavelength bands, said switch coatings fabricated from patterned dyed materials, wherein said switch coatings may be coated upon the multispectral coating-receiving substrate, or upon a second substrate wherein at least one of said coatings comprises a dielectric material.