Tutorial on Testing and Analysis of Optical Coatings

Beyond the materials and deposition process selection and development, there is the finished product, the coated optic. Testing standards for optical coatings have been used in practice for at least 45 years; they have been revised in the interim to accommodate improvements in coating and testing technology. This issue discusses how finished thin film optical coatings are examined and evaluated to determine if they meet the requirements imposed on them by the customer.