Recent News
Address

Discover Optimax

We are a world leader in high precision optical manufacturing, delivering custom optics to a wide range of innovators around the globe. Meeting these goals demands the right people. Teamwork, adaptability, and an enthusiastic approach to problem-solving are central to the Optimax culture. But what unites all our employees best is a hunger to continuously learn. We strive to find driven individuals who are committed to lifelong learning; who will continue to add value in their work throughout long and successful careers.

Careers

PRODUCTS & CAPABILITIES

Optical Coatings

Optimax delivers finished optics faster and with less risk because we own the complete manufacturing process, including optical coating. Our customers choose us because we can reliably deliver the highest quality optics at expedited timeframes and with reduced risk, because we not only have one of the largest teams of optical engineers and state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and technologies at our disposal but because we own the entire manufacturing process. This includes an advanced cleanroom where we routinely generate coatings for some of the most demanding markets on earth.

With a continuously expanding coating facility and a solutions-based approach to optical coatings, we have overcome a range of critical issues for our customers. We can coat substrates up to 500mm with capabilities extending into the directed energy market (IBS coatings), OTR coatings, and low-stress coatings.

Optical Coatings

REQUEST A QUOTE

Our quotes are structured to offer standard pricing and delivery – quicker delivery options are available upon request.

START HERE

LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS

Discover how Optimax is changing the future of optics, and view our extensive library of resources.

START HERE

JOIN OUR TEAM

We are looking for individuals that are committed to lifelong learning and creating value through their hard work.

START HERE

What are our Coating Capabilities?

We produce custom anti-reflection coatings; beamsplitters; metal mirrors; laser line and broadband dielectric mirrors; and filters. We produce functional coatings for the full spectrum, from DUV to mid-IR applications. Our coatings have been used successfully in some of the most demanding space, defense, high-power laser (HPL), medical, and semiconductor applications. Learn more about the industries we serve.

Our Coating Technologies
  • Reactive Evaporation
  • Plasma Ion Assisted Deposition
  • Ion Beam Sputtering
Optical Coating Capabilities
  • Diameter up to 500mm
  • DUV to Mid- IR applications
  • Antireflection
  • Mirrors
  • Beamsplitters
  • Polarizers
  • Filters
Find the optic specifications right for your needs:
Manufacturing Limits
Manufacturing Tolerance Chart
Optical Coatings
Featured Engineered Solution

Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS) Coatings

Optimax low-stress Ion Beam Sputtered (IBS) coatings enable tight post-coating wavefront control on complex mirror geometries while maintaining low absorption and high CW laser damage threshold.

  • Made in the USA: Serving sensitive defense and direct energy programs
  • Size Capabilities: Optimax can IBS coat up to 400 MM
  • Metrology: Optimax has invested in advanced metrology, including custom metrology options. If you can't measure it, you can't make it.
  • Specifications: Ion Beam Sputtered Coatings: 400mm Mirrors, ARs and Filters Absorption: <2ppm ARs, <5ppm Mirrors in the NIR Laser damage thresholds: >10MW/cm2CW
LEARN MORE

Types of Optics

Optimax is a world-class manufacturer of precision optics. Our capabilities incorporate a wide range of manufacturing technologies from which we can engineer solutions that best fit your requirements. Fabrication capabilities range from conventional machinery to highly deterministic CNC machining.

Applications of Optical Coatings

Optical engineers must go through a detailed decision-making process when designing high-precision optical components. At Optimax, we have years of experience supporting manufacturing teams in critical application areas with high-performance optical coatings that stand up to the harshest operating conditions. We consider the needs of our valued customers at every step of the fabrication process and strive to deliver optical coatings which go beyond standard specifications.

CW High Power Laser Coatings

Our continuous and pulsed wavelength (CW/PW) high-power laser coatings have been applied in some of the world’s most demanding CW laser systems, offering a laser damage threshold of >10 MW/cm2 plus low defect counts and low absorption.

wdt_IDCW High Power 1070 nm Antireflection (AR) & Dielectic Mirror (HR) Performance-
1Laser Damage Threshold*>10MW/cm²
2AR Coating Absorption**< 2 ppm
3HR Coating Absorption**< 5 ppm

*As tested at Penn State EOC, 17kW laser, 0.5mm spot size, 63.5 mm2 raster area.
**Max peak absorption as measured using Photothermal Common-Path Interferometry at Optimax, 2 mm scan length. Measurements verified by Stanford Photothermal Solutions.

High Energy Lasers
Laser Grade Optics

Pulsed High Energy Laser Coatings

Thousands of Optimax coated optics are used in the highest energy pulsed lasers in the world. Our coating and cleaning processes have been developed under National Ignition Facility and Omega Laser guidelines to achieve low defect counts, low absorption, and high laser damage thresholds.

wdt_IDTypeWavelengthPulse LengthsTypical SpecificationsOptimax Best Performance
1HR1064 nm10 ns>40 J/cm²>125 J/cm²
2AR1064 nm10 ns>25 J/cm²>65 J/cm²

*Pulsed testing results are fluence at which 0 defects were observed at 150x magnification after raster scanning with a 1mm beam across 2500 sites at 5-10Hz per LLNL Spec NIF-5008633 MEL01-013-OD protocol

Antireflection Coatings for Space
Coatings Technical Papers

UV/DUV Lithography Coatings

We have also developed highly uniform filters for ultraviolet and deep ultraviolet (UV/DUV) lithography applications, supplying the world's lithographic engineers with optical substrates qualified for more than a billion cycles of KrF illumination with no spectral degradation.

Coating Uniformity Correction
Laser Grade Optics

Space Qualified Coatings

Space can be a harsh environment for optical coatings. Our engineering team has successfully provided antireflection (AR) coatings for a wide range of space applications. Our coatings have been qualified for many missions, demonstrating:

  • Stable transmission after extended radiation exposure
  • Stable spectral performance in the cold vacuum of space
  • Good adhesion and durability after extended humidity and temperature cycling
Antireflection Coatings for Space
Aerospace Applications

Technical Expertise

Do you want to learn more about our optical manufacturing innovation? Refer to our Knowledge Center to read technical papers on, aspheres, business leadership, coatings, freeform optics, innovative optics manufacturing, and lens tolerancing & inspection.

Coatings

Defect-testing optical coatings for directed energy applications

The use of high-power continuous wave (CW) lasers in the emerging directed energy (DE) market has put greater emphasis on the quality of optical coatings.

Coatings

Evaluation of alumina and silica coating materials for the NIF final turning mirrors

One third of the exchanged final turning mirrors on the National Ignition Facility have been laser damaged by 3ω (351nm) target backscattered light. The mirrors are spectrally complex hafnia and …

Coatings

The influence of oxygen partial pressure on the properties of evaporated alumina thin films

Learn how increasing oxygen partial pressure during deposition improves film stoichiometry, absorption, and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) at 351 nm.

Coatings

Production of high laser induced damage thresholds

Completing our suite of deposition equipment, we are developing a new Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS) System with different substrate configurations.

Coatings

Antireflection Coatings for Space Applications

Space can be a harsh environment for optical coatings. Optimax has successfully provided antireflection (AR) coatings for a wide range of space applications.

Coatings

Designing and Selecting an Optical Cleaning Process

Every optical application requires a “clean” optical surface. However, what defines “clean” is subjective and is based on the needs of the application.  

Innovative Optics Manufacturing

Optical Systems: Transmissive high-energy laser optics

There are many decisions to make when designing, specifying, manufacturing, and testing optical components for high-energy laser systems — each is a potential failure mechanism that must be understood and …

Coatings

Optimax ‐OTR Coatings for Extreme Environmental Resistance

Optimax has developed a novel optical coating (OTR‐AR). OTR coatings have been demonstrated to provide excellent resistance to latent scratching, staining and dimming of chemically sensitive optical glass surfaces in …

Coatings

Measurement considerations when specifying optical coatings

Design, specification, and procurement of optical coatings all benefit when the designer has a good understanding of measurement techniques and uncertainties.

Manufacturing the Future

At Optimax, we are manufacturing the future, creating the highest precision optics underlying high-tech systems in key markets and applications. We offer rapid and expedited delivery upon request and are committed to our customers in the long term.

Submit an RFQ to start building your relationship with one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of custom optics.

Do you want to find out more?

Click for More Information

Optimax develops optics solutions to suit a variety of needs. Our industry-leading custom optics are developed by expert engineers. Discover our expertise, solutions, and opportunities today.

Discover our Freeforms
Discover our Expertise
Request a Quote

Accessibility Toolbar