Stability properties of tin-oxide-coated aluminium reflectors

Arne Roos; Per Hedenqvist

doi:10.1117/12.20527

1 August 1990 Stability properties of tin-oxide-coated aluminium reflectors

Arne Roos, Per Hedenqvist

Proceedings Volume 1275, Hard Materials in Optics; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20527
Event: The International Congress on Optical Science and Engineering, 1990, The Hague, Netherlands

Abstract

The chemical and mechanical stability of tin oxide coated aluminium reflectors have been investigated. The tin oxide has been applied with the pyrolytic spray technique which results in a hard crystalline coating. Tin oxide is a wide bandgap semiconductor and is transparent in the visible part of the spectrum. The visual appearance of tin oxide coated aluminium is therefore similar to the uncoated metal. Interference effects can give a slightly coloured appearance, and owing to the higher refractive index and extinction coefficient of the tin oxide the reflectance is lower than for an anodized aluminium surface. The tin oxide was applied both on electropolished aluminium and on evaporated aluminium films on glass. In both cases an improved resistance both to alcaline and acid solutions was noted. It was found that the chemical stability was better than for an anodized surface. The mechanical stability of the evaporated film was considerably improved. The electropolished samples were also characterized with respect to film hardness and resistance to erosive and abrasive wear. The hardness of the tin oxide was found to be higher than that of the anodized layer while the opposite relation applied for the erosive wear resistance. The abrasive wear resistance was about equal for tin oxide coated and anodized aluminium.

Citation Download Citation

Arne Roos and Per Hedenqvist "Stability properties of tin-oxide-coated aluminium reflectors", Proc. SPIE 1275, Hard Materials in Optics, (1 August 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20527

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