Optical interference coatings and lamps using same

• US 5,982,078 A
• Filed: 05/26/1994
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Krisl, M. Eric, Bateman, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Application Number:
  US08/249,650
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 313/112, 313/579, 350/1.6, 350/1.7, 350/164, 350/166, 362/255, 359/359, 359/350
• US Class Current: 313/112
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/282 reflecting for infrared and transparent for visible light, e.g. heat reflectors, laser protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/40 by light filters; by coloured coatings in or on the envelope
• CPC Class Codes: H01K 1/325 Reflecting coating

Abstract

Optical interference coatings useful on lamps for transmitting visible light radiation at about 90% average from 400-770 nm and for reflecting infrared radiation comprise three spectrally adjacent multiperiod stacks of alternating high and low index of refraction layers. Compared to conventional filters, these filters have a greater tolerance to layer thickness variations incurred during manufacture with little or no color shift when viewed at non-normal angles.

Claims

1. An optical interference coating for reflecting infrared radiation and transmitting visible light radiation which comprises a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index layers, said coating having a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at a normal angle of incidence between about 400 to 770 nm, a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at about a 30 degree angle of incidence between about 400 to 700 nm and a spectrally broad high reflectance of at least about 70% average between about 800 to 1900 nm.

2. The coating of claim 1 comprising three multiperiod, spectrally adjacent stacks.

3. The coating of claim 2 wherein one of the stacks is a first stack and is a short wave pass stack.

4. The coating of claim 3 wherein the second and third stacks are spectrally located at wavelengths different from each other and longer than the wavelength of the short wave pass stack.

5. The coating of claim 4 wherein each of said stacks has at least two periods.

6. The coating of claim 5 wherein some of said high and low refractive index layers in said periods of said second and third stacks have an optical thickness no greater than one-twentieth of the stack wavelength.

7. The coating of claim 6 wherein said short wave pass stack is a quarterwave stack.

8. The coating of claim 7 wherein said high and low refractive index layers comprise refractory metal oxide.

9. The coating of claim 8 wherein said refractive metal oxide comprises silica and an oxide selected from the group consisting essentially of tantala, titania and niobia.

10. The optical interference coating of claim 1 having at least 46 layers.

11. The coating of claim 1 further comprising at least about 40 alternating high and low refractive index layers.

12. The coating of claim 11 wherein each layer is less than about 3,000 angstroms thick.

13. The coating of claim 12 wherein the combined thickness of the layers is less than about 40,000 angstroms.

14. An electric lamp comprising a light transmissive envelope containing an electric light source within wherein at least a portion of said envelope is coated with an optical interference coating for reflecting infrared radiation and transmitting visible light radiation, said coating comprising a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index layers and having a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at a normal angle of incidence between about 400 to 770 nm, a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at about a 30 degree angle of incidence between about 400 to 700 nm and a spectrally broad high reflectance of at least about 70% average between about 800 to 1900 nm.

15. The lamp of claim 14 wherein said coating comprises three multiperiod, spectrally adjacent stacks.

16. The lamp of claim 15 wherein one of the stacks in said coating is a first stack and is a short wave pass stack.

17. The lamp of claim 16 wherein the second and third stacks of said coating are spectrally located at wavelengths different from each other and longer than the wavelength of said short wave pass stack.

18. The lamp of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of the layers in said second and third stacks have an optical thickness no greater than one-twentieth of the stack wavelength.

19. The lamp of claim 18 wherein each of said stacks in said coating has at least two periods.

20. The lamp of claim 19 wherein said periods in said second and third stacks contain seven layers including a central layer of high refractive index material having an optical thickness no greater than about one-quarter of the stack wavelength with a pair of low and high refractive index layers being adjacent both sides of said central layer wherein each of said two layers of each of said two pairs has an optical thickness no greater than one-twentieth of the stack wavelength with said low refractive index layer in each pair being adjacent said central layer and with a low refractive index layer having an optical thickness no greater than one-eighth of the stack wavelength being adjacent each high refractive index layer of each pair.

21. The lamp of claim 20 wherein each of said high and low refractive index layers in both of said pairs adjacent said central layer has an optical thickness no greater than one-twentieth of the stack wavelength.

22. The lamp of claim 21 wherein said first stack is a quarterwave stack.

23. The lamp of claim 22 wherein said layers comprise refractory metal oxide.

24. The lamp of claim 23 wherein said oxide includes silica and an oxide selected from the group consisting of tantala, titania and niobia.

25. The lamp of claim 24 wherein said light source is a filament.

26. The lamp of claim 24 wherein said light source is an arc discharge.

27. A tungsten halogen incandescent lamp comprising a vitreous, light transmissive envelope made of fused quartz having a filament chamber with a tungsten filament and at least one halogen hermetically enclosed within said chamber, wherein said filament has a longitudinal axis which is radially aligned along the optical center or axis of said chamber and wherein at least a portion of the exterior surface of said chamber is coated with an optical interference coating for reflecting infrared radiation and transmitting visible light radiation which comprises a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index layers, said coating having a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at a normal angle of incidence between 400 to 770 nm with no substantial portion of said transmittance in said 400-770 nm range being below about 80%, a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at about a 30 degree angle of incidence between about 400 to 700 nm and a spectrally broad high reflectance of at least about 70% average between about 800 to 1900 nm.

28. The coating of claim 27 wherein said refractive metal oxide comprises silica and an oxide selected from the group consisting essentially of tantala, titania and niobia.

29. An optical interference coating for reflecting infrared radiation and transmitting visible light radiation which comprises a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index layers, said coating having a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at a normal angle of incidence over a range of 370 nm in the visible portion of the spectrum, a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least 90% average over a range of 300 nm in the visible spectrum at an angle of incidence of about 30 degrees and a spectrally broad high reflectance of at least about 70% average between about 800 to 1900 nm.

30. The coating of claim 29 comprising three multiperiod, spectrally adjacent stacks.

31. The coating of claim 30 wherein one of the stacks is a first stack and is a shortwave pass stack.

32. The coating of claim 31 wherein the second and third stacks are spectrally located at wavelengths different from each other and longer than the wavelength of the shortwave pass stack.

33. The coating of claim 32 wherein each of said stacks has at least two periods.

34. The coating of claim 33 wherein some of said high and low refractive index layers in said periods of said second and third stacks have an optical thickness no greater than one-twentieth of the stack wavelength.

35. The coating of claim 34 wherein said shortwave pass stack is a quarterwave stack.

36. The coating of claim 35 wherein said refractive metal oxide comprises silica and an oxide selected from the group consisting essentially of tantala, titania and niobia.

37. A tungsten halogen incandescent lamp comprising a vitreous, light transmissive envelope having a filament chamber with a tungsten filament and at least one halogen hermetically enclosed within said chamber, wherein said filament has a longitudinal axis which is radially aligned along the optical center of said chamber with at least a portion of the outer surface of said chamber coated with an optical interference coating for reflecting infrared radiation and transmitting visible light radiation, said coating comprising a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index layers and having a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at a normal angle of incidence over a range of 370 nm in the visible portion of the spectrum, a spectrally broad high transmittance of at least about 90% average at about a 30 degree angle of incidence between about 400 to 700 nm and a spectrally broad high reflectance of at least about 70% average between about 800 to 1900 nm.

38. The coating of claim 37 comprising three multiperiod, spectrally adjacent stacks.

39. The coating of claim 38 wherein one of the stacks is a first stack and is a shortwave pass stack.

40. The coating of claim 39 wherein the second and third stacks are spectrally located at wavelengths different from each other and longer than the wavelength of the shortwave pass stack.

41. The coating of claim 40 wherein each of said stacks has at least two periods.

42. The coating of claim 41 wherein some of said high and low refractive index layers in said periods of said second and third stacks have an optical thickness no greater than one-twentieth of the stack wavelength.

43. The coating of claim 42 wherein said shortwave pass stack is a quarterwave stack.