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Differences Between Aluminum Types
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What is the difference between Uncoated, Protected Aluminum, Enhanced Aluminum, UV Enhanced Aluminum, and Protected Gold?
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Each coating is optimized for a particular spectral region, so care must be used to select a coating that best meets the wavelength, durability, and cost demands of the application. Protected Aluminum is the most common due its large broadband coverage of the visible and near infrared spectrums at an economical price. The coating has bare aluminum overcoated with a thin layer of silicon monoxide for increased durability in handling and cleaning. Typical values include a reflectivity of greater than 85% from 400 to 700nm. The Enhanced Aluminum coating consists of a multi-layer film of dielectrics over the aluminum base that is used to improve reflectivity in either the visible (Enhanced) or the ultraviolet (UV Enhanced). Enhanced offers greater than 95% reflectivity from 450 to 650nm, while UV Enhanced offers greater than 85% reflectivity from 200 to 700nm. Protected Gold has a bare gold coating overcoated with protective silicon monoxide. Gold coatings are effective for applications requiring high performance in the near and mid-infrared with greater than 97% reflectivity from 800 to 2000nm. For all these coatings, the theoretical reflectance rises gradually through to the 10 micron wavelength. Reflectivity is greater than 95% at 10 microns. An uncoated mirror is just the polished substrate (to specific surface accuracy and f/#) without any metallic coating; this allows users to apply their own custom coatings.
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