UV Mirror FAQ: What Optical Metrology & Interferometry Buyers Ask

Optical designers sometimes treat mirrors as simple parts, yet in Optical Metrology & Interferometry the mirror decides beam direction, loss budget and even image…

Optical designers sometimes treat mirrors as simple parts, yet in Optical Metrology & Interferometry the mirror decides beam direction, loss budget and even image contrast. The UV Mirror is a quietly critical component whose details repay careful attention.

A UV Mirror is an optical component built so that reflection happens at the coated front face rather than through a substrate. With a UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum on a fused silica or calcium fluoride base, the part delivers > 90% in the UV reflectivity across 193–400 nm while keeping the useful aperture clean and ghost-free.

The working principle is the law of reflection applied to a coated plane. Mount the UV Mirror at 45° and a beam turns 90°; stack several and you fold a long path into a short box. That simplicity is why mirrors remain the fastest way to route light in Optical Metrology & Interferometry.

The UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum is where performance is won or lost. Deposited by vacuum processes, it is tuned so the reflected wave adds constructively across 193–400 nm, reaching > 90% in the UV. Getting the layer thickness right is a precision task: a few nanometers off and the reflectivity curve shifts.

A UV Mirror starts as a fused silica or calcium fluoride blank. We hold it to λ/10 flatness and 20-10 surface quality, then apply the UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum. The substrate never sees the beam directly, but its figure sets the limit on how straight the reflected wavefront stays.

A practical UV Mirror datasheet reads: fused silica or calcium fluoride substrate, λ/10 flatness, 20-10 quality, 1–5 mm thick, > 90% in the UV over 193–400 nm. Those five lines settle most design reviews for Optical Metrology & Interferometry. See the standard size list for what we stock and what we cut to order.

In Optical Metrology & Interferometry, the UV Mirror usually appears wherever comparing wavefronts to a reference with sub-wavelength accuracy. Designers value it because it keeps the beam path predictable and the loss budget small, which translates directly into a more stable instrument. The applications overview maps where each industry places it.

Quick answers

How thick should it be? 1–5 mm covers most needs; thicker helps rigidity. Is the coating durable? The protective layer on a UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum is meant for normal lab and instrument use. Can I get a non-standard size? Absolutely — we cut to ±0.01 mm in mm or inches.

A short checklist covers most Optical Metrology & Interferometry cases: what band (193–400 nm)? at what angle? how much loss is allowed (> 90% in the UV)? then pick UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum on fused silica or calcium fluoride at 1–5 mm. Getting these four right avoids the most common rework — the application notes show how each sector resolves them.

Treat the UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum as the asset it is. In Optical Metrology & Interferometry service, a UV Mirror that is cleaned rarely and handled by the edge outlasts one that is wiped often. Less touching, more performance.

At JYOPTO we make UV Mirror parts by cutting fused silica or calcium fluoride with laser accuracy of ±0.01 mm, then applying the UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum under vacuum. Standard blanks run 1–5 mm thick, edges are smoothed for safe handling, and every shipped mirror meets λ/10 flatness with a 20-10 surface — the same disciplines we apply across our optical glass, vacuum-coating and precision cold-processing lines since 2020.

Selecting a UV Mirror for Optical Metrology & Interferometry starts with the wavelength and angle of incidence, then the acceptable loss. Match the UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum to 193–400 nm, confirm > 90% in the UV, and make sure the fused silica or calcium fluoride and 1–5 mm fit the mount you already have. The spec and size tables make that comparison quick.

The UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum is where performance is won or lost. Deposited by vacuum processes, it is tuned so the reflected wave adds constructively across 193–400 nm, reaching > 90% in the UV. Getting the layer thickness right is a precision task: a few nanometers off and the reflectivity curve shifts.

A UV Mirror is an optical component built so that reflection happens at the coated front face rather than through a substrate. With a UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum on a fused silica or calcium fluoride base, the part delivers > 90% in the UV reflectivity across 193–400 nm while keeping the useful aperture clean and ghost-free.

Optical designers sometimes treat mirrors as simple parts, yet in Optical Metrology & Interferometry the mirror decides beam direction, loss budget and even image contrast. The UV Mirror is a quietly critical component whose details repay careful attention.

The UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum is where performance is won or lost. Deposited by vacuum processes, it is tuned so the reflected wave adds constructively across 193–400 nm, reaching > 90% in the UV. Getting the layer thickness right is a precision task: a few nanometers off and the reflectivity curve shifts.

When you specify a UV Mirror, the numbers that matter are flatness λ/10, finish 20-10, and the reflectance > 90% in the UV across 193–400 nm. Thickness 1–5 mm is mostly about handling and mount compatibility, but it still belongs on the print. The specification table covers the common configurations.

How the part is checked

Before a UV Mirror leaves the line it is inspected for flatness (λ/10), finish (20-10) and reflectance (> 90% in the UV over 193–400 nm). A simple 45° visual check reveals coating defects, and a flatness test confirms the wavefront stays within tolerance — the same discipline JYOPTO applies across its optical glass, vacuum-coating and precision cold-processing since 2020.

In real service a UV Mirror meets more than the optical table. Humidity, temperature swings and routine cleaning all test the UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum. A good protective layer keeps the metal from oxidizing, so the part holds > 90% in the UV across 193–400 nm for years rather than months — exactly what Optical Metrology & Interferometry equipment that ships to varied climates needs.

Typical specs worth putting on a drawing: surface flatness λ/10, surface quality 20-10 (scratch-dig), substrate fused silica or calcium fluoride, thickness 1–5 mm, and reflectivity > 90% in the UV over 193–400 nm. Stating these up front saves rounds of sampling later. Our full technical specifications and standard sizes list the tolerances we hold routinely.

Beyond Optical Metrology & Interferometry, the same UV Mirror shows up in laboratories, teaching setups and OEM builds where comparing wavefronts to a reference with sub-wavelength accuracy. Its value is generality: one well-made part serves many breadboards, which is why stocking a few standard sizes pays off.

Wrapping up

A UV Mirror is a small part with an outsized effect on Optical Metrology & Interferometry. Get the UV-enhanced dielectric or aluminum, fused silica or calcium fluoride and flatness right and the rest of the system behaves. If your drawing calls for something specific, the team at JYOPTO can cut and coat it to match — start from the specifications and standard sizes, then tell us the wavelength and angle.