This specification establishes minimum quality and durability requirements for single or multi-layer interference coatings applied to components in optical systems. It is applicable to coatings utilized on a wide variety of substrate materials for such items as lenses, prisms, mirrors, beam splitters, reticles, laser elements, windows, filters, etc.

Coatings produced to the requirements of this specification may be exposed without damage to those handling and cleaning procedures associated with optical instrument assembly practice and will generally be employed within the protective confines of a sealed instrument.

Certain applications may necessitate the use of additional or expanded quality and durability requirements, some of which are included within the optical durability section of this specification. (See 3.4.3). Other quality and durability requirements with the appropriate test methods must be defined when they are applicable. All additional requirements must be specified on the applicable drawing or other documents. Examples of coating applications where additional requirements must be specified include laser systems where resistance to laser energy damage is necessary; also when coatings are used outside the confines of a sealed instrument, resistance to such environments as salt fog, fungus, extended humidity, etc. may be necessary.

This specification is not intended as a substitute for other coating specifications, e.g., MIL-C-675, MIL-C-14806, etc. It is intended that this specification provide the durability requirements for coating applications not covered by other documents and in some cases to serve as a supplement, by reference, in other coating specifications.