Dale B Long

US Patent:

57702705, Jun 23, 1998

Filed:

Apr 3, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/832234

Inventors:

Ramin Lalezari - Boulder CO
Dale E. Long - Lafayette CO

Assignee:

Research Electro-Optics, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

B05D 136

US Classification:

427404

Abstract:

Method and structure are disclosed for forming a protective and/or reflectivity enhanced over coating layer, or layers, on a noble metal. A metallic binder layer, capable of forming a metallic bond with the noble metal and exhibiting good adhesion to the over coating layer, is deposited on the noble metal, utilizing physical vapor deposition, and the over coating layer is thereafter deposited on the metallic binder layer, again utilizing physical vapor deposition. The noble metal is preferably gold, but may be silver or an alloy of gold or silver, and may be deposited on a substrate. Each metallic binder layer is a thin layer, such as a layer of chromium, titanium, tantalum, nickel, cobalt, or an alloy thereof, and over coating is formed as a single dielectric layer of material or as a stack of alternating low and high indices of refraction dielectric layers.

US Patent:

61500399, Nov 21, 2000

Filed:

Apr 17, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/062149

Inventors:

Ramin Lalezari - Boulder CO
Dale E. Long - Lafayette CO

Assignee:

Research Electro-Optics, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

B32B 1504
B32B 1500

US Classification:

428652

Abstract:

Method and structure are disclosed for forming a protective and/or reflectivity enhanced over coating layer, or layers, on a noble metal. A metallic binder layer, capable of forming a metallic bond with the noble metal and exhibiting good adhesion to the over coating layer, is deposited on the noble metal, utilizing physical vapor deposition, and the over coating layer is thereafter deposited on the metallic binder layer, again utilizing physical vapor deposition. The noble metal is preferably gold, but may be silver or an alloy of gold or silver, and may be deposited on a substrate. Each metallic binder layer is a thin layer, such as a layer of chromium, titanium, tantalum, nickel, cobalt, or an alloy thereof, and over coating is formed as a single dielectric layer of material or as a stack of alternating low and high indices of refraction dielectric layers.