Utilizing Plasmon Mediated Constructive Interference for Selective Wavelength Reflection with Roll-to-Roll Physical Vapor Deposition

Presented by Rob Malay, VDI

Sputtered coatings have historically seen a wide variety of uses, from functional films in electronics, to passively integrated optical filters, to decorative and aesthetically appealing applications. Roll-to-roll sputter deposition has typically not seen the type of advanced optical and tribological coating that is seen on glass substrates and silicon wafers. Using reflective metal layers coated with finely controlled sputtered dielectric films, tunable wavelength reflection can be achieved. The reflective wavelengths are generated through constructive interference of the incident reflective light with surface plasmons resonating at the metal-dielectric interface. This work will demonstrate its use in the visible spectrum with generated colors. However, other wavelength ranges, such IR and UV, have also been demonstrated.