Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWSPrecision coatings for optical applications
In order to deflect EUV radiation or X-rays, mirrors instead of lenses have to be used. These mirrors have to be coated with dedicated reflective coatings and with an outstanding precision. The layers to be fabricated exhibit thicknesses in the range of a few nanometer. This combination of nanotechnology and optics requires specific knowledge and tailored coating equipment.
One of the main aspects of the scientific work of the group “X-ray and EUV optics” is research and development in the field of precision coatings for optical applications. Depending on the concrete problem to be solved different technologies are used for the fabrication of the coatings:
For the evaluation of the coatings and for the implementation in products or systems, the continuous development of the following tasks has to be ensured:
- layer characterization (reflectometry, diffractometry, atomic force microscopy, stress measurements)
- fine mechanics, design engineering, construction
- computer modeling, simulation tools.