Study on the reflectivity of electron beam evaporated gold films on aluminum alloy substrates treated at 60,-20, and 25°C

Aluminum alloys are widely applied in optical turrets after coating and super-finishing. Gold films prepared on aluminum alloy substrates via electron beam (e-beam) evaporation are considered to be effective way to realize close to total reflection of incident light. Here, we investigated the optimization of the reflectivity parameters of e-beam evaporated gold films; then, the influence of different deposition parameters on the surface quality, adhesive force and reflectivity (incident light in the 650-1700 nm range) of the film at -20, 25 and 60 degrees C were systematically studied. The results demonstrated that the reflectivity and adhesion of the gold films both increased after high temperature holding and decreased slightly after low temperature holding. However, the surface morphology of the gold film did not change substantially. After holding at 60 and -20 degrees C, the adhesive force decreased, which indicated that the adhesion strength between the reflective membrane and the substrate decreased.

Automated summary

This study explored the optimization of reflectivity parameters for e-beam evaporated gold films, as well as the effects of different deposition parameters on surface quality, adhesive force, and reflectivity at various temperatures. The results indicated that both reflectivity and adhesion strength of the gold films increased after high temperature holding but decreased slightly after low temperature holding, with minimal changes in surface morphology. Additionally, there was a decrease in adhesive force at both 60 and -20 degrees Celsius, suggesting a decrease in adhesion strength between the reflective membrane and the substrate.