Antireflective coatings by sol-gel processing: Commercial products and future perspectives

Commercial antireflective coatings prepared by sol-gel processing are compared to MgF2 l/4 thin films. Their respective optical performance is measured by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Microstructural features as characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy are correlated to results determined by Ellipsometric Porosimetry. A modified Crockmeter testing procedure employing steel wool as abrasive was used to examine mechanical film stability. Results indicate that MgF2 films can well compete with other porous l/4 systems, as well as with dense interference multilayer assemblies targeting at superior optical and mechanical properties.