UV Blocking Filters
Managing ultraviolet (UV) light exposure is critical in a wide variety of applications including some necessary to life. ZC&R has several standard coatings designed to manage UV light for a wide variety of applications. Overexposure to UV can cause skin and eye damage requiring windows and other glass surfaces to be used for protection. Similarly, UV exposure can also damage artwork, documents, and other ink based items we might expect to find behind UV blocking glass generally found in museums. On the other hand, there is our need for UV exposure in moderation for processes such as vitamin D synthesis. UV exposure is also used in curing applications, fluorescence microscopy for cellular imaging, and even Blacklite lamps for entertainment venues.
Specifications
UV Blocking Filters
Our UV Blocker Filter coating is used in a variety of UV sensitive applications. Examples include protection of artwork in museum displays, liquid crystal devices, and UV sensitive optical fibers.
Average T ≤ 1% 200-390nm
Average T ≥ 90% 430-700nm
Blacklite™ UV Filters
Blacklite™ filters are all dielectric thin films on borosilicate glass and offer some additional features over MUG-2 filter glass. The transmitted efficiency is superior, which is critical in areas such as forensics, fluorescence and inspection. Because this is a coated filter, rather than an absorption based filter glass, heat produced by the light source is allowed to exit through the filter. This lowers overall system temperature and can extend lamp life. Additionally, in high temperature applications where tempered MUG-2 is not adequate, Blacklite™may be suitable due to its Borofloat® substrate.
470 Short Wave Pass (SWP) Filters
470 SWP filters are often used in fluorescence microscopy and other applications where near UV and blue pump wavelengths are required. Our 470 SWP filter passes an average of 85% of energy from 340nm-450nm wavelengths. Average transmittance from 500nm-700nm is reduced to less than 0.5%. Performance is specified at normal incidence. This coating is typically provided on Borofloat® glass but can also be coated onto fused silica or other UV transmissive glass materials.