Abstract

An ultra-fast mechanical optical switch is described using an exploding thin film to clear optical paths in times less than 0.5 μsec. Metallic films of 1000-Å thickness were vacuum-deposited on a glass substrate and disintegrated by passage of a 90-nsec kA current pulse. Best results were obtained in the absence of vaporization.A possible application of the device is seen in gating high-speed rotating mirror cameras.

© 1965 Optical Society of America

Exploding PbS film Q-switch laser

M. J. Landry
Appl. Opt. 17(4) 635-641 (1978)

Exploding Wire Blast Shutter

W. G. Chace and C. V. Fish
Appl. Opt. 2(4) 441-443 (1963)

Completely Automatic Synthesis of Optical Thin Film Systems

J. A. Dobrowolski
Appl. Opt. 4(8) 937-946 (1965)

Thin Films and Their Uses for the Extreme Ultraviolet

W. R. Hunter, D. W. Angel, and R. Tousey
Appl. Opt. 4(8) 891-898 (1965)

Effect of Ultraviolet Irradiation on the Optical Properties of Silicon Oxide Films

A. P. Bradford, G. Hass, M. McFarland, and E. Ritter
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