Vanadium Dioxide Protective Devices.

摘要

This development contract has been carried out in order to answer the increasing requirement for protection of sensitive infrared detectors from pulsed laser radiation in the military environment. It has been the concern of this project to develop a protective device for use in the 8-12 micron wavelength region. The approach in this case has been to exploit the well established optical properties of vanadium dioxide thin films in the infrared. This report presents in detail the equipment and methods used to obtain thin films of vanadium dioxide for incorporation in protective devices. A significant development effort has been directed at the inclusion of switching films in antireflection coatings for the 8-12 micron band. The subject of this contract was the development of vanadium dioxide optical switches. The aim was to further develop the reactive sputtering process for deposition of vanadium dioxide. Vanadium dioxide can now be deposited on germanium as well as silicon and has been fully characterized. The process stability, repeatability and the quality of the vanadium dioxide has been significantly improved. In particular the optical scatter has been reduced and the dynamic range has been increased. Devices incorporating vanadium dioxide have been manufactured to the required specification and indications are that the devices should fulfill their intended purpose. Keywords: Laser hardening.(AW)