A beam splitter is an optical device used to split incident light entering it by allowing approximately half of the light to transmit and continue along the originating path while reflecting the remaining light along a separate path. In this way the beam splitter provides two identical beams or images at about half the strength of the incident light.

Ghosting occurs in a beam splitter when a small percentage of the incident light reflects off the secondary surface of the beamsplitter instead of being transmitted out of the beamsplitter. As the incident light approaches a 45 degree 50/50 beamsplitter half of the light will reflect and half will transmit as intended. Once the transmitted light enters the beamsplitter, it transmits most of that light out of the other side of the beam splitter along the intended path but also reflects a small portion of that light. This causes a dim ghost image to accompany the initial reflected light.

Anti Reflection coatings reduce the amount of light that is unintentionally reflected by the coated surface. In this particular situation, the secondary surface of the beamsplitter is coated with an anti reflection coating in order to drastically reduce the amount of light that is being reflected by that surface. This helps to promote the integrity of the two divergent images.

Abrisa uses cost effective techniques for creating quality anti reflection coatings and beamsplitter coatings. For more information about how anti reflection coatings on beamsplitters can help your application, please call us at 877.6.ABRISA (877.622.7472) or email us.

Touch screen displays offer a wide variety of challenges for developers from dealing with the comparative light levels of the device and the environment to addressing concerns regarding the scratch and damage resistance of the display.

Comparative light level differences between the device and the environment present an ongoing dilemma for developers. As a device is used in a dark environment, very little light emission is required to create an appropriately readable display. As soon as you take the device outside in the bright afternoon sun however, things look a bit different. Excessive environmental light reflecting off the display has a tendency to drown out low levels of light emission. One somewhat effective solution is to ramp up the amount of light the device emits, but will then drain the battery of the device more quickly. Another way to help alleviate this particular problem is to coat the display glass with an anti reflective coating. This greatly increases the readability of the device without reducing the battery life. In combination with an anti reflection coating some developers have opted to use light sensing to determine when environmental light is elevated and throttles up the amount of light the device emits, then when the environmental light is reduced again, from walking indoors for instance, the device throttles light emission levels back down. Between these two solutions touch screen displays are effectively dealing with glare problems experienced in outdoor situations.

Scratch and damage resistance is another concern when dealing with touch screen displays. These devices are intended to be touched, and beyond that they are intended to have fingertips dragged along their surface. If the potential for scratches and other damage to the display stopped with sliding skin contact then that would be relatively simple to address, but there are other concerns with finger contact on a touch screen display. Fingernails, rings and gloves are just a starting point for possibly damaging contact. One way to address this particular problem is to chemically strengthen the glass used in the display. Glass undergoing the chemical strengthening process can become upwards of five times harder, and thus more resistant to damage. In addition to this is the option of using a scratch resistant thin film coating that will further protect the display from scratches. There is another type of damage that these solutions may help prevent, and that is from cleaning cloths as these displays are subjected to skin oils.

Displays need to be cleaned now and then. Even displays that are not intended to be touched still collect dust and unintended particles that degrade the image being displayed. Oils from skin contact are a particularly prominent issue when it comes to touch screens however, and as such they need to be cleaned regularly. One way to help reduce the amount of cleaning chemicals and potentially abrasive contact from cleaning cloths is to utilize an oleophobic coating. This thin film coating will encourage skin oils to bead up and not adhere to the display. As such it is easier to remove the oils with a cleaning cloth and fewer cleaning chemicals are then needed to ensure cleanliness of the display.

For more information about Abrisa’s Anti Reflection Coatings and Chemically Strengthened Glass please call 877.6.ABRISA (877.622.7472), email us or visit our booth at SID 2010 (booth 500).

We will have several members of our staff on hand to discuss how we can help benefit your project with quality glass and coatings solutions.

If you would like to schedule a specific time to talk to one of our staff, please email us or call us at 877-622-7472.

When: May 25 - May 27
Where: Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, WA, USA (click for a map).

The hours of the 2010 exhibition are:

Tuesday, May 25 10:30 am - 6:30 pm
Wednesday, May 26 3 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday, May 27 4 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Abrisa and ZC&R will be exhibiting at Booth 1740, where we will have staff on hand to discuss what is going on in the industry right now and how our fabricated glass and coatings for lighting, electronic, optics and industrial applications could help your project goals meet with success. Visit us to discuss customizing new systems or retrofits for your existing systems.

Stop by our booth to talk with us or Email us or call us at 877-622-7472 to set up an appointment.

SPIE Photonics West – Booth 1740

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If you have any projects we can help you with, please contact one of our sales staff or submit an RFQ and our staff will get back to you.