Contact angle and anti reflective coating.

In summary, there is a discussion about the correlation between the contact angle of an anti-reflective coating and its effectiveness. The contact angle is the angle at which a liquid/vapor interface meets a solid surface. The thickness of the coating is important for its effectiveness, as it relies on interference between reflections from different surfaces. While there is information available online, it may be necessary to look beyond the first result to find information specifically on the angle of incidence.
  • #1
Weirdzzl
6
0
Hi all, just want to ask is there any correlation between the contact angle of a anti reflective coating? i.e the bigger the angle, the better the anti reflective coating? Thanks in advance.
 
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  • #2
I just want to be sure what you mean by "contact angle" here, since it seems to have a special meaning in the context of applying coating to surfaces but you may just mean "angle of incidence".

Note: there is a lot of information online about this stuff.
 
  • #3
Hi, there is no special meaning. it is the angle, conventionally measured through the liquid, where a liquid/vapor interface meets a solid surface.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_angle.

I tried to search the web, but could not get any info on the correlation between these 2.
 
  • #4
Ah - I figured that was what you meant.
AR coating depend on their thickness ... the contact angle between the coating and the surface it coats relates to the way the coating's thickness changes at the edges of the application. You don't use that bit. You want the AR coating to have as uniform a thickness as possible.
 
  • #5
An anti reflective coating will be relying on interference between the reflections from two (or more) surfaces. For the reflections to interfere destructively, the path differences must be right. For different angles (and different wavelengths) the condition for exact cancellation will be compromised.
But there's lots about this if you Google. You may need to look further than the first hit to find the effect of angle of incidence, though.
 
  • #6
@Sophiecentaur: that's the mistake I made - in this case, "contact angle" \neq "angle of incidence". (see post #3).
I feel better about my mistake now :)
 

1. What is contact angle and how is it related to anti-reflective coating?

Contact angle is a measurement of how a liquid droplet spreads on a solid surface. In the case of anti-reflective coating, the contact angle is important because it affects the surface tension and adhesion of the coating, which can impact its effectiveness in reducing reflections.

2. How does anti-reflective coating work?

Anti-reflective coating works by reducing the amount of light that is reflected off the surface of a material. It does this by creating a thin layer that has a lower refractive index than the material itself, causing light to pass through the layer rather than being reflected.

3. What materials are commonly used for anti-reflective coatings?

The most commonly used materials for anti-reflective coatings are metal oxides, such as titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide. These materials have a low refractive index and are transparent, making them effective for reducing reflections.

4. How is contact angle measured?

Contact angle is typically measured using a goniometer, which is a specialized instrument that can accurately measure the angle formed between a liquid droplet and a solid surface. The contact angle can also be calculated using mathematical equations based on the dimensions of the droplet and the surface.

5. What are the benefits of using anti-reflective coating?

The main benefits of using anti-reflective coating include reducing glare and reflections, increasing light transmission, and improving the overall appearance of a material. This can be especially useful for eyeglasses, camera lenses, and electronic displays where clarity and visibility are important.

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