With the array of thin-film coated polymer based optics currently in use within the optoelectronic and photonic industries the need for finger print reducing coatings has drastically increased. Due to the peak-to-valley micro structure of thinfilms fingerprint oils and other airborne particulate are prone to create disruptive optical interference within films, which negate their overall effectiveness in transmitting light and or data. Our approach in combating this issue is a deposition process that is capable of being deposited on numerous injection-molded and cast sheet polymer formulations to help reduce the appearance of fingerprint oils on optically and cosmetically critical components. In many cases, such vacuum-applied coatings improve the optical performance of polymers by improving the visual acuity of the display through the drastic reduction of fingerprint oils and airborne particulate. This presentation will focus on the full spectrum of thin-film coatings that are currently being deployed to polymer optics in order to combat smudging and fingerprints on polymer optics and displays.

Date Published: 19 October 2012
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 8489, Polymer Optics and Molded Glass Optics: Design, Fabrication, and Materials II, 84890G (19 October 2012); doi: 10.1117/12.932283

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8489:
Polymer Optics and Molded Glass Optics: Design, Fabrication, and Materials II
David H. Krevor; William S. Beich; Michael P. Schaub; Stefan M. Bäumer, Editor(s)