Narrow band-pass optical interference filters are used for a variety of applications to improve signal quality in laser based systems. Applications include LIDAR, sensor processing and free space communications. A narrow band width optical filter allows for passage of the laser signal while rejecting ambient light. The more narrow the bandwidth, the better the signal to noise. However, the bandwidth of a design for a particular application is typically limited by a number of factors including spectral shift over the operational angles of incidence, thermal shift over the range of operating temperature and, in the case of laser communication, rejection of adjacent laser channels. The trade-off of these parameters can significantly impact system design and performance. This paper presents design and material approaches to maximize the performance of narrow bandpass filters in the infrared.

Date Published: 17 May 2016
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 9822, Advanced Optics for Defense Applications: UV through LWIR, 982211 (17 May 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2225113

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9822:
Advanced Optics for Defense Applications: UV through LWIR
Jay N. Vizgaitis; Bjørn F. Andresen; Peter L. Marasco; Jasbinder S. Sanghera; Miguel P. Snyder, Editor(s)