Scale-up of Nano-Engineered Anti-Reflection Coating Process for Large Plastic Optics

In a recently completed NASA SBIR program, Agiltron and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a novel nanoporous UV anti-reflection coating technology for complex plastic optics. This coating is based on recent breakthroughs in self-assembled low index multilayer structures achieved at MIT, combined with Agiltron's mist coating processes. The UV AR coatings consisted of inter-connected oxide nanoparticles in the form of a 3D porous network. We successfully demonstrated this AR coating on a 3" by 3" PMMA plate and 1.25" diameter Fresnel lens with suppressed surface reflection below 1% in the UV range. The coating adhesion also passed standard optical surface cleaning procedures recommended by NASA. In this current SBIR program, Agiltron proposes to scale up the coating process to coat large scale PMMA Fresnel lens surfaces up to 0.25 meters in diameter in Phase I and 1 meter in diameter in Phase II. Agiltron will closely work with NASA to develop the evaluation process for coating uniformity and optical performance.

Nanoporous coatings offer dual functionality of anti-reflection and anti-fogging. Potential military applications include goggles, laser safety eye protective lenses, chemical/ biological face masks, ballistic shields for explosive ordnance disposal personnel, and windows for vehicles. Mist deposition is fundamentally inexpensive and may have commercial applications in the plastic optics industry for eyeglasses and cellphone camera lenses, sport and diving goggles, auto windshields, windows in public transit vehicles, solar panels and green-house enclosures, and architectural products.

Nanoporous coating technology is applicable to anti-reflection coatings for the electromagnetic spectrum from UV through near-IR. An immediate need is for coatings on large (2.5 m) PMMA Fresnel lenses intended for the EUSO extreme energy cosmic ray telescope. Previous coatings have given poor adhesion on PMMA. NASA's contribution to this international mission depends on design of a plastic lens telescope whose antireflection treatments show very high optical efficiency over a wide UV band, large area uniformity, conformal deposition, low film stress, and minimal scattering and absorption.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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