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Innovator Award

NEBULAR™

Nano-Structured Anti-Reflective Surfaces for High-Power Laser Applications

 

High Laser-Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT)

When Nebular™ Technology, exclusively available from Edmund Optics®, experiences laser-induced damage it does not propagate and effectively “melts” the nanostructures back into the bulk material.

When thin-film anti-reflective (AR) coatings experience laser-induced damage, the damage can propagate and cause system failure.

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When thin-film anti-reflective (AR) coatings experience laser-induced damage, the damage can propagate and cause system failure.

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On the other hand, when Nebular™ Technology, exclusively available from Edmund Optics®, experiences laser-induced damage it does not propagate and effectively “melts” the nanostructures back into the bulk material.

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You can move the yellow slider above to directly compare the LIDT of a typical thin-film V-coat with that of a typical laser-line window with Nebular™ Technology, showing that the LIDT of Nebular™ Technology is approximately 2X that of the thin-film.

High Broadband Transmission

When designed properly, these nano-structured surfaces minimize both reflectivity and scatter, allowing for maximum throughput over a broader wavelength range than thin-film V-coats.
When designed properly, these nano-structured surfaces minimize both reflectivity and scatter, allowing for maximum throughput over a broader wavelength range than thin-film V-coats.

Comparison to Typical Thin-Film Coatings

When LIDT is a concern, surfaces with Nebular™ Technology are typically more advantageous than thin-film AR coatings.

  Uncoated Fused Silica Thin Film AR V-Coat Thin Film AR Broadband Nebular™ Technology
Reflectivity POOR BEST BETTER BEST
Scatter BEST BEST BEST BETTER
Transmission POOR BEST BETTER BEST
LIDT BEST BETTER GOOD BEST
UV Durability BETTER GOOD GOOD BETTER
Mechanical Durability BEST BETTER BETTER POOR
Special Handling

Handling Surfaces with Nebular™ Technology

  • The structures have high laser durability but low mechanical durability, making them difficult to clean
  • Optics with Nebular™ Technology should be kept in clean environments and ionized air is recommended for removing any contamination
  • Contact us to discuss specific situations and appropriate handling methods

How Are Optics with Nebular™ Technology Made?

Subwavelength surface structures are etched into surfaces by an inductively-coupled plasma. Each parameter in the manufacturing process is finely controlled; the surfaces can be modeled using rigorous coupled wave analysis, resulting in highly-repeatable and predictable surface specifications.

Traditional circularly symmetric, round lenses are self-centered by circular spacers and retaining rings in conventional optical assemblies, simplifying assembly and alignment
Subwavelength surface structures are etched into surfaces by an inductively-coupled plasma.

Talk to our experts about how to improve your laser systems with Nebular™ Technology!

Sarah C

Dr. Sara Castillo, Laser Optics Expert
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