Optically absorbing trilayer films fabricated using a Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc

A Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc (FCVA) deposition system has been used to produce Al2O3/Al/Al2O3 trilayers for use as optically absorbing coatings. Ellipsometry was used to measure the optical constants of the AlOx films and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to measure their stoichiometry. It was found that a wide range of Ar/O2 inlet flow‐rates could be used to produce stoichiometric Al2O3 in the FCVA system. Several Al2O3/Al/Al2O3 tri‐layers have been produced with different Al layer thicknesses and the simulated and experimental reflection characteristics have been compared. An average reflectance of 4% was achieved over the visible spectrum for the optimised trilayer coating deposited on silicon. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)