Optical coating design approaches based on the needle optimization technique

• DOI: 10.1364/ao.46.000704
• Publication Date: 2007-01-23T14:02:53Z
• Authors: A. V. Tikhonravov; M. K. Trubetskov; G. W. DeBell
• Keywords: Optical coating; Optimal design; Material Design

Design approaches for optical thin films that recognize the key role of a design's total thickness are presented. These based primarily on needle optimization technique but also utilize other procedures. Using described design approaches, an coating engineer can obtain set theoretical designs with different combinations principal metrics (merit function value, number layers, and thickness); this extends opportunities choosing most practical manufacturable design. We show some problems have multiple solutions nearly same metrics.