Infrared 700 - 6000 nm Broadband AR Coating
Definition:
A broadband infrared anti-reflection (BBAR) coating is designed to reduce reflections and glare over a specified range between 700 and 6000nm (near and mid infrared). The main aim of broadband anti-reflection coating to maximise light transmission to improve the performance and efficiency of optical components across various applications.
Design and Manufacture:
We design and manufacture custom broadband anti-reflection coatings across the near and mid infrared range between 700 nanometres to 6000 nanometres to any custom specification. For Broadband AR coatings below 700 nm see our visible broadband anti reflection coatings page.
Supplying Optics:
We hold an extensive inventory of stock wafer substrates, including Glass, Sapphire, Fused Silica, Calcium Fluoride, Silicon, Germanium, and more, available in various thicknesses and ready for immediate coating. Post-coating, these substrates can be swiftly diced, or core drilled, significantly reducing lead times, often to less than two weeks. Additionally, we have a network of trusted optics suppliers, whom we regularly audit, to provide custom optics. This allows us to offer a comprehensive solution by delivering both the optics and coating as a complete package from a single supplier, simplifying your procurement process.
Coat Only Service:
We also provide an express coating service for customer-supplied optics, with lead times as short as 48 hours. If you already have the optics, we are more than happy to coat them for you. With hundreds of different-sized tooling jigs accumulated over years of manufacturing, we can often save on both tooling costs and lead times by utilising existing tooling of the same size or by making minor in-house modifications to suit your requirements.
Please contact us to discuss your specific requirements.


Case Studies

1250 – 2300 nm AR 2 Side B270

900 – 1700 nm AR 2 Side B270 Glass

1500 – 5000 nm AR 2 Side Sapphire

3000 – 5000 nm AR 2 Side Silicon
Standard Broadband Anti Reflection Coatings Data Table | |||||||
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Below is a table of standard infrared broadband anti reflection coatings we offer, if you are not able to find exactly what you are looking for we can optimise one of the coatings below to meet your specific requirement. All of the below graphs are at 0° angle of incidence but we are able to optimise the performance for any angle between 0° - 45 °. We are able to coat all of the main standard substrate materials such as Glass, Sapphire, Quartz and Calcium Flouride,if you have a more unique substrate material we will most likely still be able to coat it to the same transmission/reflection levels as detailed below by optimising the coating to the substrates refreactive index. | |||||||
Range | Substrates | Reflection Per Surface | Transmission 2 Sides Coated | Reflection Graph 2 Sides | Transmission Graph 2 Sides | ||
700 - 1200 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride | R < 1.0 % | T% > 98 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
700 - 2000 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride | R < 2.0 % | T% > 96 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
900 - 2000 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride | R < 1.5 % | T% > 97 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
1000 - 2000 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride | R < 1.5 % | T% > 97 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
1000 - 2500 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride | R < 1.5 % | T% > 97 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
1000 - 3000 nm | Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride | R < 2.0 % | T% > 96 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
1200 - 1600 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride, Silicon | R < 0.5 % | T% > 99 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
1200 - 2500 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride, Silicon | R < 1.5 % | T% > 97 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
1300 - 2300 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride, Silicon | R < 1.0 % | T% > 98 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
1500 - 2500 nm | Glass, Sapphire, Quartz, Calcium Flouride, Silicon | R < 1.0 % | T% > 98 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
1500 - 5000 nm | Sapphire, Calcium Flouride, Silicon, Germanium | R < 2.0 % | T% > 96 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
2000 - 3000 nm | Sapphire, Calcium Flouride, Silicon, Germanium | R < 1.0 % | T% > 98 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
2000 -4000 nm | Sapphire, Calcium Flouride, Silicon, Germanium | R < 1.0 % | T% > 98 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
2000 - 5000 nm | Sapphire, Calcium Flouride, Silicon, Germanium | R < 1.5 % | T% > 97 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
2500 - 5000 nm | Sapphire, Calcium Flouride, Silicon, Germanium | R < 1.0 % | T% > 98 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
3000 - 4000 nm | Sapphire, Calcium Flouride, Silicon, Germanium | R < 0.5 % | T% > 99 % Average | Graph | Graph | ||
3000 - 5000 nm | Sapphire, Calcium Flouride, Silicon, Germanium | R < 1.0 % | T% > 98 % Average | Graph | Graph |
Applications

Protective Lenses:
Optical systems are often sealed with protective lenses often made from glass, sapphire or silicon to protect the inner workings of the system. These lenses are often AR coated to increase the sensitivity and performance of the instrument by reducing reflection losses from the uncoated faces.

Thermal Imaging and Night Vision:
Infrared Cameras use Broadband AR coatings improve the sensitivity and accuracy of infrared cameras used in thermal imaging for applications such as surveillance, firefighting, and building inspections. Night Vision Devices utilise broadband AR coatings to enhance performance by maximising the transmission of infrared light, enabling better detection and imaging in low-light conditions.

Medical and Biological Imaging:
Non-Invasive Diagnostics benefit from anti-reflection coatings in applications such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and infrared thermography, improving image clarity and diagnostic precision. Anti-reflection coatings also improve the efficiency of laser surgery by increasing the efficiency and precision of surgical lasers by reducing energy losses due to reflections, ensuring more effective procedures.

Chemical Analysis and Gas Detection:
AR coatings play an important role in systems relating to chemical analysis and gas detection, whilst they are not the filter that makes the system work (see narrow band pass filter pages for more on this) they play a crucial role in maximising system performance by minimising loses which improves the accuracy of gas and chemical analysis in fields such as pharmaceuticals, environmental monitoring, industrial safety and food safety.

Telecommunications:
Fiber Optic Systems often have antireflection coatings to enhance the performance of fibre optic communication systems in the near-IR range, improving signal strength and transmission efficiency for high-speed data transfer.

Military and Defence:
Anti-reflection coatings improve the performance of infrared sensors in remote sensing applications for surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance.

Industrial Applications:
Process Control and Material Inspection both use Infrared sensors with AR coatings in industrial process control for monitoring temperature, chemical composition, and other parameters such as thickness to ensure quality and efficiency.

Astronomy and Space Exploration:
Infrared Telescopes and space Instruments often have AR coatings on infrared optics to reduce reflections, increasing the sensitivity and clarity of astronomical observations in the near and mid-IR range.

Laser Systems:
Laser Optics are AR Coated to improve the efficiency of laser systems operating in the near and mid-IR range by maximising the transmission of laser light through optical components, reducing losses and enhancing performance. Laser Rangefinders use AR coatings to ensure accurate distance measurements by minimising reflections and maximising signal strength.

Consumer Electronics:
IR Sensors in Devices such as smartphones, tablets, and other consumer electronics are AR Coated to improve functionality such as facial recognition, proximity sensing, and gesture control.