Systems having optical absorption layer for mid and long wave infrared and methods for making the same
View Patent ↗An optical system according to one embodiment includes a substrate; and an optical absorption layer coupled to the substrate, wherein the optical absorption layer comprises a layer of diamond-like carbon, wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 50% of mid wave infrared light (3-5 μm wavelength) and at least 50% of long wave infrared light (8-13 μm wavelength). A method for applying an optical absorption layer to an optical system according to another embodiment includes depositing a layer of diamond-like carbon of an optical absorption layer above a substrate using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 50% of mid wave infrared light (3-5 μm wavelength) and at least 50% of long wave infrared light (8-13 μm wavelength). Additional systems and methods are also presented.
1. An optical system, comprising:
a substrate; and
an optical absorption layer coupled to the substrate,
wherein the optical absorption layer comprises a layer of diamond-like carbon,
wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 50% of mid wave infrared light (3-5 μm wavelength) and at least 50% of long wave infrared light (8-13 μm wavelength).
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is an internal surface of an infrared instrument.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the infrared instrument is selected from a group consisting of a detector, a camera, a spectrometer, and a hyperspectral imager.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the layer of diamond-like carbon is doped with fluorine for reducing a refractive index thereof.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the layer of diamond-like carbon has a deposition topography characteristic of formation by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesion layer positioned between the substrate and the optical absorption layer.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical absorption layer further comprises an absorbing layer between the substrate and the diamond-like carbon layer, the absorbing layer having a higher mid wave infrared light absorption and a higher long wave infrared light absorption than the diamond-like carbon.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the absorbing layer is adjacent the diamond-like carbon layer, wherein an interface between the absorbing layer and the diamond-like carbon layer is a melding of materials from both layers.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 75% of mid wave infrared light and at least 75% of long wave infrared light.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 90% of mid wave infrared light and at least 90% of long wave infrared light.
11. A method for applying an optical absorption layer to an optical system, the method comprising:
depositing a layer of diamond-like carbon of an optical absorption layer above a substrate using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition,
wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 50% of mid wave infrared light (3-5 μm wavelength) and at least 50% of long wave infrared light (8-13 μm wavelength).
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process employs a hollow cathode discharge.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the substrate is an internal surface of an infrared instrument.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the infrared instrument is selected from a group consisting of a detector, a camera, a spectrometer, and a hyperspectral imager.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising doping the layer of diamond-like carbon with fluorine for reducing a refractive index thereof.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming an adhesion layer between the substrate and the optical absorption layer.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising depositing an absorbing layer between the substrate and the diamond-like carbon layer, the absorbing layer having a higher mid wave infrared light absorption and a higher long wave infrared light absorption than the diamond-like carbon.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the absorbing layer is adjacent the diamond-like carbon layer, wherein an interface between the absorbing layer and the diamond-like carbon layer is a melding of materials from both the absorbing layer and the diamond-like carbon layer formed during a temporally continuous deposition process.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 75% of mid wave infrared light and at least 75% of long wave infrared light.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 90% of mid wave infrared light and at least 90% of long wave infrared light.