Optical filter with selective transmittance and reflectance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017102489-A1
Application number	US-201615293074-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2016
Priority date	Oct 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical filter providing selective transmittance of target wavelengths of light and tunable, differential front and back surface reflectance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical filter comprising:
a plurality of alternating layers of transparent dielectric materials having different refractive indices; at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material having a thickness of less than 50 nm; and a percent transmission of the optical filter greater than 70 percent.

2 . The optical filter of claim 1 wherein the plurality of alternating layers of transparent dielectric materials comprises a material having a refractive index of less than or equal to 1.6.

3 . The optical filter of claim 1 wherein the plurality of alternating layers of transparent dielectric materials comprises a material having a refractive index of greater than 1.6.

4 . The optical filter of claim 1 wherein the at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material comprises a conductive material.

5 . The optical filter of claim 1 wherein the at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material comprises gold, titanium nitride, and/or zirconium nitride.

6 . The optical filter of claim 1 wherein the at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material is interposed directly between two layers of the plurality of alternating layers of transparent dielectric materials having different refractive indices.

7 . The optical filter of claim 1 wherein the at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material is interposed directly within a layer of the plurality of alternating layers of transparent dielectric materials.

8 . The optical filter of claim 1 wherein the at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material is positioned within the plurality of alternating layers of transparent dielectric materials towards a front side of the optical filter.

9 . The optical filter of claim 1 wherein the at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material is positioned within the plurality of alternating layers of transparent dielectric materials towards a backside of the optical filter.

10 . An ophthalmic lens comprising:
a lens substrate; an optical filter having a front surface and a back surface attached to a front surface of the lens substrate; and a percent reflectance from a front surface of the ophthalmic lens 30 percent greater than a percent reflectance from the back surface of the optical filter.

11 . The ophthalmic lens of claim 10 wherein the lens substrate is thermoplastic.

12 . The ophthalmic lens of claim 10 wherein the lens substrate is a curable liquid monomer mixture or a curable urethane based prepolymer composition.

13 . The ophthalmic lens of claim 10 further comprising a functional laminate.

14 . The ophthalmic lens of claim 10 wherein the optical filter comprises:
a plurality of alternating layers of transparent dielectric materials having different refractive indices; and
at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material having a thickness of less than 50 nm.

15 . The ophthalmic lens of claim 10 wherein the optical filter comprises at least one layer of gold, titanium nitride and/or zirconium nitride.

16 . A method for forming an optical article comprising:
obtaining an optical substrate; forming an optical filter on the optical substrate comprising: applying at least one layer of transparent dielectric material having a refractive index above 1.6 on a surface of the optical substrate; applying at least one layer of transparent dielectric material having a refractive index less than or equal to 1.6 on the surface of the optical substrate; applying at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material on the surface of the optical substrate; and imparting a percent reflectance from a front surface of the optical article 30 percent greater than a percent reflectance from a backside of the optical filter through the applying the at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the applying at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material comprises applying a layer having a thickness of less than 50 nm.

18 . The method of claim 16 wherein the applying at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material comprises applying a conductive material.

19 . The method of claim 16 wherein the applying at least one layer of a metallic absorbing material comprises applying gold, titanium nitride and/or zirconium nitride.

20 . The method of claim 16 wherein the obtaining an optical substrate comprises obtaining a thermoplastic ophthalmic lens.

Assignees

• Vision Ease Lp

Inventors

• Brown Jeff
• Marshall Michael L
• Boulineau Michael S

Classifications

• C23C14/34

  Sputtering · CPC title

• C23C14/205

  by cathodic sputtering · CPC title

• C23C14/0641

  Nitrides (C23C14/0617 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B5/22 Primary

  Absorbing filters {(G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G02C7/10

  Filters, e.g. for facilitating adaptation of the eyes to the dark; Sunglasses · CPC title