Optical Coating Laboratory

Organizational Unit
Responsible

Grants related:

Description

The Optical Coating Laboratory depends on the Department of Optics and is purpose is the production of thin films deposits onto optical surfaces with multiple uses: mirrors, anti-reflective films, interference filters, etc. The equipment consists mainly of a Balzers BAK 600 evaporator machine with a built-in electron gun that allows working with materials of high melting temperature. It is also equipped with a setup of multiple quartz crystals for monitoring the deposition thickness. The room occupied by the evaporator machine inside the laboratory is a class 7 clean room. In addition, the laboratory has a fume hood for gas extraction to avoid its inhalation during the cleaning processes.

Related Technical facility
View of the evaporator and its associated electronics in the laboratory. Machine with a reinforced door and a porthole, and two large racks with electronic components, buttons and indicators for the control of the machine
Evaporator with built-in electron gun
Evaporator machine for the manufacture of optical coatings
General view of one of the rooms (A) of the optical laboratory. Elongated laboratory with metal tables with holes and various optical and mechanical elements on top of them
Optics Laboratory
The Optics Laboratory is specialized in the realization of all type of optical measurements, alignment and integration of instruments, prototype tests and characterization of components and optical systems in general.
José Luís
Rasilla Piñeiro
Roberto
López López
View of the CT7 reflectometer on a mirror. Author A1pixel. Small device with a screen held by a technician's hand on the surface of a mirror
Reflectometer
Device dedicated to the measurement of the quality of mirrored surfaces.
General view of the aluminizing plant. Cylindrical machine of 3 m diameter open to allow the placement of a mirror in its interior
Aluminizing chamber
The aluminizing plant is used to replace the aluminum layer of the mirrors.
Related Capability
View of an engineer assembling a grism in the laboratory. Engineer placing a piece of glass in a metal cylinder
Design, development and verification of optical systems
The IAC Technology Division has the capacity for developing complete optical elements and systems from the design stages to manufacturing follow-up, integration and final verification.
Type
Equiment type