Optical Filters and Their Applications (2015)

Dr. Robert Sargent
Director, Research and Development Optical Security and Performance Products, JDSU

Cerent Engineering Science Complex, Salazar Hall 2009A
3:00 PM

Abstract – Optical interference coatings find wide application in science and industry. It is hard to think of an optical instrument or system that does not benefit from their use, and many systems would not be possible without them. Sometimes the purpose of an optical coating may be relatively straightforward. Examples of such “simple” coatings include mirrors for the reflection of light as in the case of a telescope mirror, and antireflection coatings for the reduction of light reflection as in the case of a camera lens surface. In other situations an optical coating may perform a more essential function such as filtering for a specific wavelength band of light. The challenges of industry are constantly driving better performance and the development of improved and new optical coating technologies. This talk will provide a brief background on optical coatings and coating technology, and then give examples of how they have enabled fields such as Aerospace, Document Security, Telecommunications, and Consumer Electronics.

Dr. Sargent received his Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona, Tucson. He has been with OCLI since 1989 and JDSU since 2000, serving in a variety of engineering and leadership roles. His work has concentrated on the development of energetic thin film deposition processes and methods for depositing narrowband and precision filters. Over the years he has enjoyed working with companies and universities to employ filter technology in applications such as optical instrumentation, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) for fiber optic telecommunications, and consumer electronics. Since 2012 Dr. Sargent’s focus has shifted to include the development of optical coatings for document security applications. He is currently the leader of the Next Generation Products R&D Team in JDSU’s Optical Security and Performance Products group.