Durable optical coatings will be an important part of large telescope and astronomical instrument design in the future. Many elements, some of considerable physical size, will be involved. Coatings with long useful lifetimes will increase performance, reduce cost and minimize risk from handling. The research program carried out under this SBIR Phase I award will examine the usefulness of a new coating technique that utilizes a low voltage, high current plasma. The structure of coatings produced with this new technique will be investigated and compared with that of more conventional coatings. The research is anticipated to lead to application in the production of more durable optical coatings for commercial and defense applications in addition to its value in astronomical instrumentation.
