Custom made optical mirrors

Depending on our clients’ needs, we offer a variety of optical mirror coatings:

• Metallic mirrors
• Dielectric coatings
• Filter coatings

Metallic reflective coatings

Coating surfaces with reflective metals such as aluminium (Al), silver (Ag) or gold (Au) is referred to as metallic mirror or reflective coating. Metallic mirrors achieve around 96% reflectivity, with the remaining light (about 4%) typically absorbed, causing the mirror to heat up under intense light. The advantage of metallic mirrors lies in their cost-effectiveness and broad reflectivity, making them suitable for devices such as spectrometers and telescopes. Different metals serve different applications: aluminium provides high reflectivity for UV light, while silver, with its minimal light absorption in the VIS and NIR spectrum, is a go-to for budget-conscious systems. For the NIR range, chemically resistant gold-coated optical mirrors are preferred. Considering the lower mechanical strength and chemical resistance of metal coatings, it’s beneficial to additionally protect them with a dielectric layer.

Dielectric coatings

When mirrors with even higher reflectivity are needed, we employ dielectric materials. They can reflect up to 99.9% of light while heating up less than their metallic counterparts. Furthermore, dielectric mirror coatings provide precise control over transmitted wavelengths. These mirrors are crafted for various angles of incidence, and offer a stress-minimized and durable solution, especially for applications with high laser power.

Filter coatings

Anti-reflective coatings are a critical addition when optical components need high transmission – for instance, to reduce reflection losses within the beam direction of optical systems. Different types range from single coatings to multi-layered systems and reflection-minimizing optical coatings, which are particularly suited for laser applications. Specifically, V-coatings are employed in laser applications to safeguard the optics from damage.

For an extensive look at our coating offerings, please refer to our coating services section.