LAUSR

AbstractCommercial antireflective coatings prepared by sol–gel processing are compared to MgF2 λ/4 thin films. Their respective optical performance is measured by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Microstructural features as characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy are correlated to results determined by Ellipsometric Porosimetry. A modified Crockmeter testing procedure employing steel wool as abrasive was used to examine mechanical film stability. Results indicate that MgF2 films can well compete with other porous λ/4 systems, as well as with dense interference multilayer assemblies targeting at superior optical and mechanical properties.Graphical AbstractThe performance of commercially available sol–gel antireflective coatings are compared with porous MgF2 film system. Results indicate that they exhibit superior properties compared to their SiO2 counterparts under investigation.