Microlithographically patterned optical thin film coatings

Jim Lane; Phil Buchsbaum; Jason M. Eichenholz

doi:10.1117/12.809615

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23 February 2009 Microlithographically patterned optical thin film coatings

Jim Lane, Phil Buchsbaum, Jason M. Eichenholz

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Proceedings Volume 7205, Advanced Fabrication Technologies for Micro/Nano Optics and Photonics II; 72050G (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.809615
Event: SPIE MOEMS-MEMS: Micro- and Nanofabrication, 2009, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Until recently optical coatings have been one area that existed primarily in the macro realm. Entire optical surfaces could be coated quite easily with various thin film optical coatings. However precise deposition of patterned optical filter coatings was limited by the use of metal masking. Similarly, the dicing and bonding of individual filters together to form an assembly is a tedious process, with miniaturization limited by handling and dicing constraints. We are reporting on a new class of lithographically patterned dielectric thin film coatings that enables precision placement and patterning of dichroic and multilayer thin film coating features on a single substrate down to the micron scale. Because the process relies on precision microlithography instead of cut metal masks to pattern the deposited coatings, features (coated areas) as small as 5 microns can be produced, with spatial registration to adjacent coated areas within 1 micron. Furthermore, we report on new developments which involve patterning optical thin film filter on active photodetector substrates. The possibility of now using active devices with patterned dielectric optical filter arrays opens up a wide landscape of new opportunities in solid-state spectral sensing, from more precise color detection to enhanced multispectral imaging.

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Jim Lane, Phil Buchsbaum, and Jason M. Eichenholz "Microlithographically patterned optical thin film coatings", Proc. SPIE 7205, Advanced Fabrication Technologies for Micro/Nano Optics and Photonics II, 72050G (23 February 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.809615

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