Optical interference coatings are essential and enabling components in sensors, display devices, biomedical instrumentation, aerospace systems, and numerous other applications. It is hard to think of an optical instrument or system that does not benefit from their use and many systems would simply not be possible without them. This one-day course provides an introduction to optical coatings and essential design methods.

The course begins with some relevant fundamentals of optics and important properties of optical materials. The basic principles of interference coatings are described and useful insight is gained through the use of simple formulas and diagrams. These tools are applied to understanding the most important and exemplary design types, such as antireflection coatings, edge filters, narrowband filters, and high reflecting coatings. The combination of simpler design types to create more complex functionalities and the use of computer-optimization to improve on the performance of simpler “starting designs” are considered.

The level of the course is geared towards engineers and scientists who are new to the field and need to understand optical coatings and design fundamentals. It is also a suitable course for technical managers, technicians, and experienced practitioners seeking a brush-up. An advanced background in mathematics or physics is not required.