<title>A Review Of Vacuum Ultraviolet Optics</title>

Abstract

A special technology is required for research to be done in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral region. Because optical components are for the most part reflecting optics, considerable effort has been expended in a search for highly reflecting mirror coatings. For wavelengths down to about 1000A, coatings with reflectances of 80% are obtained by overcoating Al with LiF before Al203 has a chance to form. MgF2 is perhaps a more useful overcoating for Al because it is not affected by atmospheric moisture during storage in air, although its region of high reflectance extends only to about 1200A. For wave-lengths below 1000A, coatings of Pt and other members of this group, Rh, Re, Os, and Ir, and other heavy metals, are very useful but provide reflectances of only about 20-35% down to about 500A. Polished SiC mirrors, originally formed by chemical vapor deposition, have the highest reflectances thus far measured from 1000A to about 600A. Transmitting filters of LiF, MgF2, and quartz transmit from the visible region to cut-off wavelengths of 1050A, 1140A, and 1450A, respectively. For wavelengths below 1000A, filters can be made of thin, unbacked, metal films. For example, a film of Al 1000A thick transmits from about 800A to L2 3 x-ray edge at 170A. The techniques for producing and using reflecting coatings And transmitting filters will be discussed, and a short description of diffraction gratings for use in the vacuum ultraviolet region will be given.© (1978) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.