"Optical Molding & Coating" typically refers to two critical processes used in the fabrication of precision optical components, such as lenses, prisms, mirrors, and filters. Here's a brief overview of both:

🔹 Optical Molding

Definition:
Optical molding involves shaping optical-grade materials (usually glass or plastic) into lenses or other optical components using precision molds under heat and pressure.

Types:

1. Glass Molding
   • Uses high temperatures to press and mold glass.
   • Produces high-quality, durable optics.
   • Suitable for infrared and high-performance optics.
2. Plastic Injection Molding
   • Used for mass-producing plastic optics.
   • Less expensive and faster than glass molding.
   • Common in consumer electronics (e.g., camera lenses, VR/AR optics).

Advantages:

• High precision.
• Repeatable and scalable.
• Enables complex geometries (e.g., aspheric lenses, microstructures).

🔹 Optical Coating

Definition:
Optical coating refers to thin-film layers applied to the surface of optical components to alter their reflection, transmission, or absorption properties.

Types:

1. Anti-Reflective (AR) Coatings – Minimize reflection and increase light transmission.
2. High-Reflective (HR) Coatings – Enhance reflectivity (used in mirrors, laser optics).
3. Beam Splitter Coatings – Split or combine light beams in a defined ratio.
4. Filter Coatings – Allow specific wavelengths to pass through or be blocked.

Techniques:

• Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
• Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
• Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS)
• Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)

Applications:

• Cameras, sensors, lasers, microscopes, optical communications.

🔧 Combined Use:

In advanced optics manufacturing, molded lenses are often coated post-fabrication to improve optical performance. For instance:

• Molded AR-coated lenses for smartphone cameras.
• Molded and coated optics for LiDAR systems.

🔹Optical Molding Technologies

🔹 Coating Technologies

✅ 2. Common Materials

📌 Optical Molding Materials

Glass Types:

• BK7, Fused Silica, Borosilicate – High transmission, precision optics

• Chalcogenide Glass – Infrared optics (thermal imaging)

Plastics:

• PMMA (Acrylic) – Low cost, good optical clarity

• PC (Polycarbonate) – High impact resistance

• COC/COP – High optical quality, low birefringence (AR/VR lenses)

📌 Coating Materials

• SiO₂ (Silicon Dioxide) – AR layers

• TiO₂ (Titanium Dioxide) – High-index HR or filter coatings

• Al₂O₃ (Alumina) – Hard coatings

• ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) – Transparent conductive layer (used in displays)