Stabilife optical interference filters, manufactured by Newport and available in the UK from Photonics and Analytical Marketing, are now available with a five-year performance guarantee.
Traditionally produced optical interference filters utilise un-stabilised metal oxide optical coatings or laminated soft-film coatings, which are adequate for non-critical applications.
However, for some more demanding applications such as fluorescence detection, wavelength stability is critical to ensure dependable results.
Stabilife optical filters and coatings are manufactured using two processes for the deposition of metal oxide thin-film optical coatings: Reactive Ion Plating (RIP) and Hybrid Plasma Deposition (HPD).
Both processes yield highly dense, thin-film coatings with hardness, abrasion resistance, and adhesion to the substrate.
Unlike traditional filters where moisture can cause wavelength shifts of 2-5 per cent, Stabilife filters typically exhibit total wet-to-dry shifts of less than 0.02 per cent of wavelength.
Similarly, Stabilife films are typically five to 10 times less sensitive to thermal variation.
Stabilife thin-film optical coatings have demonstrated good resistance to damage due to handling, extreme nuclear and optical radiation, and severe environmental conditions.
In the most severe applications, Stabilife filters have demonstrated spectrally stable performance lifetimes exceeding 8,000 hours.
Stabilife filters have been qualified for telecommunications applications per the requirements of Telcordia GR-2883.
While most applications are much less demanding than these, the same robust coatings as are required for extreme applications, are supplied for all Stabilife products.
