Flexible omnidirectional reflective film for CO2 laser protection

In this Letter, we presented a flexible omnidirectional reflective film made of polymer substrates and multiple alternating layers of two chalcogenide glasses for full-angle CO2 laser protection. The structure parameters of the device were simu-lated for theoretical prediction of best device structure. The reflector was fabricated by alternate thermal evaporation of two chalcogenide glasses with large refractive index contrast. The reflectivity was greater than 78% at 10.6 mu m. The flexible reflective film can provide an effective solution for full-angle CO2 laser protection of the moving targets, such as laser operators and mobile optical components, with potential applications for wearable laser protective clothing.

Automated summary

This Letter presents a flexible omnidirectional reflective film made of polymer substrates and two types of chalcogenide glasses for CO2 laser protection. The optimal structure parameters of the device were determined through simulation. The reflector, fabricated by thermal evaporation, achieved a reflectivity of over 78% at 10.6 μm. This flexible reflective film provides a solution for full-angle CO2 laser protection and has potential applications in wearable laser protective clothing.