Abstract: The optical properties (absorption, reflection, transmittance, transparency) and physical attributes (hardness, friction, durability, etc.) of metal oxides, nitrides, or films that combine these materials can be modified by adding fluorine to the deposition mixture. The extent of change in properties depends on the amount of fluorine incorporated. Contrary to previous information, the presence of fluorine does not prevent adhesion of overlayers such as hard carbon, hydrogenated carbon, or diamond-like carbon. Considering for example massive silicon oxynitride hardcoat layers which are part of wear resistant composite windows for visible spectral applications, preferably fluorine is incorporated in a relatively very thin surface-adjacent region or layer of the hardcoat on the side thereof on which a carbonaceous layer such as DLC is formed.

Abstract: A high reflectance mirror utilizing a dielectric stack having multiple layers of low and high refractive index material, at least one of which is absorbing at the design wavelength. At least one pair of layers is formed on a substructure with the thickness of the individual layers being both different from a quarterwave optical thickness and preselected to maximize the reflectance of the mirror. Mirrors in which both dielectric materials in the stack have different absorptances at the design wavelength are disclosed with the layer thickness of one or more optimum pairs formed on a substructure being different from a quarterwave optical thickness such that the layers of higher absorptance material are less than a quarterwave optical thickness and the layers of lower absorptance material are more than a quarterwave optical thickness.

Abstract: Laser reflector with reduced electric field intensity having a substrate having an optically smooth surface with a multilayer thin film optical coating disposed on the surface. The coating is comprised of high and low index layers formed in first and second groups with the first group being formed of layers having optical thicknesses substantially equal to one quarter of the wave length of the laser beam and the second group being formed of layers having optical thicknesses which are substantially different from one quarter of the wave length of the laser beam in which .theta. is the phase thickness of the low index layer defined by the equation ##EQU1## AND .phi.