This paper reviewed the infrared uses of diamond-like carbon thin films and the potential uses of synthetic diamond layers. Diamond-like carbon is used widely as a protective anti-reflection coating for exposed germanium infrared windows and lenses and as thin protective coatings for front surface aluminium mirrors. This material is also used in protective anti-reflective coatings for zinc sulphide as the outer thin film in multi-layer designs incorporating variable index intermediate layers of germanium carbide. The maximum thickness of diamond-like carbon that can be used is often limited by the stress induced in the layer through the method of deposition and by the absorption present in the basic material. This stress and absorption can be far lower in synthetic diamond layers but there are now problems associated with the high substrate temperatures, difficulties in coating large areas uniformly and problems arising from surface scattering and low deposition rates.

Date Published: 1 October 1990
PDF: 1 pages
Proc. SPIE 1320, Infrared Technology and Applications, (1 October 1990); doi: 10.1117/12.22347

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1320:
Infrared Technology and Applications
Alan H. Lettington, Editor(s)