scope:

Preface

Advances in science and technology have led to the exploitation of various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and new uses continue to be developed and refined. This is particularly true in the field of optics that concentrates on the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, as can be seen in the exploding number of optical and electro-optical systems being used and developed for applications in telecommunications, medicine, industry, the military, consumer products, science, and art. Fiber optics, light emitting diodes (LEDs), lasers, sensors, optical computing, data/voice/image storage and retrieval, visual displays, and holography are some of the optics technologies these systems are based on.

One of the common denominators of the various technologies in optics, and for that matter in most fields, is the materials they rely on. In the case of optics and electro-optics, these are materials that transmit, reflect, refract and diffract light in the wavelength region of interest. Because of these different regions of interest, there is not one set of optical materials to rely on but several, often overlapping sets. This handbook is designed to describe the set of optical materials used for infrared optical applications.

The Handbook of Infrared Optical Materials has been designed to be useful to a wide range of readers. It is intended to aid scientists, engineers, and other professionals involved in the research, development, design, and production of infrared optics and infrared optical and electro-optical materials, devices, and systems. It is also intended to serve those in related or overlapping fields.

This handbook includes a comprehensive presentation of infrared optical materials. The fundamental physics of optical matter, the definition of material physical properties, the listing and comparison of the physical properties of infrared optical materials, and the theory, design, and survey of infrared optical coatings are thoroughly presented. Physical property data for over 100 crystalline and glass infrared optical materials and over 50 infrared optical coatings are compiled in the handbook. Along with the supporting text and tabulature, the handbook contains over 136 additional tables, 300 figures, 300 equations and 500 references. The objective is to provide as comprehensive a source as possible in a format allowing the reader to easily and quickly answer a range of questions, from the basic physics to measured properties.

This handbook is divided into eight chapters. Each chapter is intended to support the others so that questions arising in one are answered in another. The first three chapters describe the fundamental physics of the physical properties of materials, particularly infrared optical materials, the interaction of light and matter, and methods of material physical property determination. These chapters are intended to provide fundamental understanding of the physical properties of the materials. They are also intended of allow the reader to make better use of the material data in other chapters in terms of recognizing their limitations and determining how they may be modified, controlled and extrapolated, or interpolated if measured data are not available.

Chapters 4 through 7 contain the physical property data of infrared optical materials. These chapters are formatted to allow the reader quick and easy access to a substantial database. Chapter 4 discusses and defines the physical properties listed for each material presented in later chapters. Chapter 5 provides a comprehensive comparison, physical property by physical property, of all the infrared optical materials. Chapters 6 and 7 contain data sheets, tables, and figures for each of over 100 crystalline and glass materials. The materials listed include both well-developed commercially available materials as well as some that have just recently become available orare still in development. The appearance of a material in this handbook, therefore, does not imply general availability. The intention is to provide the reader with some insight into new materials that may be of interest or need. The physical property data in these chapters was obtained from literature or producer sources. Since development work continues on both existing and new materials in the area of infrared optical materials, the reader is encouraged to allow for updating by following the technical literature and producer information regarding the physical properties of the materials in this handbook.

Chapter 8 describes the theory, design, and properties of infrared optical coatings. Various design methods, coating types, materials, and coating properties are detailed. This chapter was included since infrared optical coatings not only represent another set of infrared optical materials but are usually inextricably involved with the application of the material set described in Chapters 6 and 7. The properties of over 50 coatings are tabulated. As in other chapters, the data were obtained from literature sources and the reader should allow for updates as development work produces improvements in the listed coatings as well as new coatings.

The editor and authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of Texas Instruments in the preparation of this book, particularly in terms of illustration and manuscript preparation and permission to use various photographs. We also wish to extend our appreciation to the Technical Publications Department of Texas Instruments.

 For Chapters 1, 2 and 3 we wish to acknowledge the many discussions and interactions with colleagues at AT&T Bell Laboratories that, over the years, have assisted us immensely in developing an understanding of the theoretical aspects discussed. We particularly thank K. Nassau and A. M. Glass; AT&T Bell Laboratories administration.

The authors of Chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7 wish to thank several former students of the Jacksonville University Physics Department for their diverse contributions. The most significant contribution came from Mark Grant (now a graduate student at the University of Florida). He produced most of the figures used in these four chapters and assisted throughout the entire project. Vitally important contributions in collating data and organizing the comparison tables of Chapter 5 and the data sheets of Chapter 6 were provided by Amanda Philips Estep and Sean Seeba. Special recognition is given for the important contributions of Margaret Smith, Douglas Sherman, Visarath In and Richard DeSalvo. The project also benefited from the assistance of Steve Batey and Paula Hilliker. We sincerely thank each student for their special contributions. The authors extend a special acknowledgement to C. A. Klein and R. L. Gentilman both at Raytheon Company for their contributions to Chapter 6.

 Acknowledgement in also extended to Katharyn Hunter of Texas Instruments for manuscript preparation and to Jo Satloff for editing. Finally, we thank all the members of our families for their understanding and patience during the copious hours spent away from them during this project.

Author: Paul Klocek