Two algorithms used for the on-line and off-line characterization of multilayer optical coatings are experimentally compared using test samples produced by two different deposition processes and different monitoring approaches. One of these algorithms, called the triangular algorithm, demonstrates its superiority in all considered situations. We performed experiments with multilayer samples formed by high-density thin films, which allowed us to neglect possible errors in the film refractive indices and concentrate only on errors in the thicknesses of the layers of the produced coatings.

Dielectric components are essential for laser applications. Chirped mirrors are applied to compress the temporal pulse broadening crucial in the femtosecond regime. However, the design sensitivity and the electric field distribution of chirped mirrors is complex often resulting in low laser induced damage resistances. An approach is presented to increase the damage resistance of pulse compressing mirrors up to 190% in the NIR spectral range. Layers with critical high field intensity of a binary mirror design are substituted by ternary composites and quantized nanolaminates, respectively. The deposition process is improved by an in situ technique monitoring the phase of reflectance.

We propose a general approach that allows one to reveal factors causing production errors in the course of the deposition process controlled by broadband optical monitoring. We consider computational experiments simulating the real deposition process as a crucial point of this approach. We demonstrate application of the approach using multiple experimental deposition runs of the selected multilayer coatings.

In the presented work a fast frequency domain measurement system to determine group delay (GD) and group delay dispersion (GDD) of optical coatings is proposed. The measurements are performed in situ directly on moving substrates during the thin film coating process. The method is based on a Michelson interferometer, which is equipped with a high power broad band light source and a fast spectrometer. Especially for the production of chirped mirrors it is advantageous to obtain group delay and group delay dispersion data of the last layers. This additional information allows for online corrections of coating errors to enhance the precision of complex interference filters for short pulse applications.

A fast Fourier-based measurement system to determine phase, group delay, and group delay dispersion during optical coating processes is proposed. The in situ method is based on a Michelson interferometer with a broad band light source and a very fast spectrometer. To our knowledge, group delay dispersion measurements directly on the moving substrates during a deposition process for complex interference coatings have been demonstrated for the first time. Especially for the very precise production of chirped mirrors it is advantageous to get information about the phase properties of the grown layer stack to react on errors and retrieve more information about the coating process.