Low reflection articles and related systems and methods

• US 10,551,528 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Light & Hologram, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pacific Light & Hologram, Inc.
• Inventors: Wiensch, Joshua D., Qin, Tina, Blackley, Jonathan Seamus
• Primary Examiner(s): Shewareged, Betelhem
• Application Number:
  US16/025,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20190033490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 4281951
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/20 foamed in situ
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 22/56 Treatment of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 22/84 Dyeing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/11 Anti-reflection coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24901 including coloring matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]

Abstract

Low reflection articles, and related systems and methods are disclosed. The articles have a surface with primary pores and secondary pores. At least some of the secondary pores contain agent, such, for example, a light absorbing dye.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an article, comprising a substrate comprising a metal,

wherein;

a surface of the substrate comprises primary pores and secondary pores;

an average diameter of the primary pores is at least four times greater than an average diameter of the secondary pores; and

the system comprises an optical system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the average diameter of the primary pores is at least five times greater than the average diameter of the secondary pores.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the average diameter of the primary pores is at least 500 nm.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the average diameter of the primary pores is at least 1 μ

m.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the average diameter of the primary pores is at most 5 μ

m.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the article has a region which comprises the primary pores, and the region of the article has a porosity ratio of at least 0.1.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the article has a region which comprises the primary pores, and the region of the article has a porosity ratio of at most 0.3.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the average diameter of the secondary pores is at most 250 nm.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the average diameter of the secondary pores is at least 50 nm.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary pores have an average aspect ratio of at least 10.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary pores have an average aspect ratio of at most 40.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a light absorbing agent.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least some of the secondary pores comprise the light absorbing agent.

14. The system claim 13, wherein the light absorbing agent comprises a visible light absorbing agent.

15. The system claim 13, wherein the light absorbing agent comprises a dye.

16. The system claim 15, wherein the dye comprises a water-soluble dye.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the article has a fractional reflectance of at most 0.0002 at a wavelength of from 400 nm to 700 nm.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the surface of the article has a first fractional reflectance at a first wavelength of from 400 nm to 700 nm;

the surface of the article has a second fractional reflectance at a second wavelength of from 400 nm to 700 nm;

the first wavelength is different from the second wavelength; and

the first fractional reflectance is different from the second fractional reflectance.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the article has a fractional reflectance of at most 0.0002 at a wavelength of from 10 nm to 400 nm.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises a member selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, niobium, tantalum, magnesium and zinc.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the substrate comprises an oxide, and the oxide comprises the metal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the secondary pores are present in the portion of the oxide.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the article comprises a fluoro-aluminate.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the article comprises a hydrated aluminum oxide.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a holographic projection apparatus, a camera, a telescope, a color selective filter, a housing for a photonic sensor, a solar collector, a thermal solar system, an information display system, and a system for storing light sensitive materials.

26. A system, comprising:

an article, comprising a substrate comprising a metal,

wherein;

a surface of the substrate comprises primary pores and secondary pores;

an average diameter of the primary pores is from 500 nm to 15 μ

m; and

an average diameter of the secondary pores 50 nm to about 250 nm.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein an average diameter of the primary pores is at least four times greater than an average diameter of the secondary pores.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the system comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a holographic projection apparatus, a camera, a telescope, a color selective filter, a housing for a photonic sensor, a solar collector, a thermal solar system, an information display system, and a system for storing light sensitive materials.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the system comprises an optical system.