Optical Monitoring of VLA Coatings Process Using Hyperspectral Imaging

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Surface Optics Corporation awarded SBIR for Optical Monitoring of VLA Coatings Process Using HyperSpectral Imaging

San Diego, CA (November 2002)

Surface Optics Corporation (SOC) proposes the use of an in-house developed real-time hyper-spectral imaging system, known as the SOC-700, for monitoring and controlling optical coating processes. Multi-layer coatings have been developed to provide very low absorption (VLA) for high power laser beams. Despite the progress made in the field of multilayer optical coatings, damage by the high power laser beams remains a problem because of the inability to precisely monitor and control the vacuum coating processes. The SOC-700 is comprised of a high-speed, low-noise visible/near-IR camera, high quality spectrometer and integrated scanning system and software. This system can obtain and process 100 megabyte hyperspectral data cubes in 6.4 seconds. The data cube contains spectral information on 120 different color bands per pixel over a wavelength range of 0.4 to 0.9 microns. By using this camera to record color changes of a growing optical film, information pertaining to the thickness of the growing film, and the film's refractive index, may be directly computed in real-time. Surface Optics Corporation also specializes in optical coating processes and will test this hyperspectral camera by integrating it with one of SOC's vacuum deposition chambers as part of this SBIR.

About Surface Optics
Surface Optics Corporation (SOC) is a 23-year-old, employee owned company based in San Diego, CA. Building upon quantitative optical signature analysis, SOC is known throughout the globe for its BRDF technology, spectral and spatial characterization of materials, high-fidelity multispectral/hyperspectral modeling and simulation of targets and backgrounds (UV through radar), optical measurement services, instrumentation design and manufacture, and coatings design and application. For more information on SOC's Coating Technologies, please visit our Coatings Page, call us at 858-675-7404, or send e-mail to David Sheikh.

Surface Optics Corporation 11555 Rancho Bernardo Rd. San Diego, CA 92127
Phone: 858.675.7404 Fax: 858.675.2028