Silicon coated mylar beamsplitter
AssigneeNational Research Council of Canada
InventorsNelson L. Rowell, Edward A. Wang
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Abstract
The invention disclosed relates to an interferometer for the far-infrared which provides a high operating efficiency over the spectral range of 50 to 1000 cm.sup.-1. The beamsplitter component comprises a composite of a thin, substantially uniformly thick synthetic resin film having low far-infrared absorption, selected from polyethyleneterephthalate and polypropylene, and a thin substantially uniformly thick coating of germanium. An improved interferometer including a beamsplitter formed of the composite is also disclosed.
Claims12
An interferometer comprising a source of infrared radiation, a fixed reflector, a moving reflector, and a beamsplitter for directing incident infrared radiation to said reflectors and recombining reflected radiation from said mirrors to produce a single transmitted output beam, wherein said beamsplitter comprises a composite consisting essentially of a substrate in the form of a thin, substantially uniformly thick film selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene and a substantially uniform thickness coating of the element germanium, the coating thickness being 1 to 2.1 microns, said composite having substantially optically flat leading and trailing surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.