Global Patent Index - EP 0796447 A1

EP 0796447 A1 19970924 - DURABLE VISIBLE/LASER/MEDIUM WAVE INFRARED COMPOSITE WINDOW

Title (en)

DURABLE VISIBLE/LASER/MEDIUM WAVE INFRARED COMPOSITE WINDOW

Title (de)

DAUERHAFTES FENSTER ZUR TRANSMISSION SICHTBARER UND INFRAROTSTRAHLUNG

Title (fr)

FENETRE DURABLE POUR LA TRANSMISSION COMPOSITE D'INFRAROUGES ET D'ONDES VISIBLES, LASER ET MOYENNES

Publication

EP 0796447 A1 19970924 (EN)

Application

EP 96936174 A 19961004

Priority

  • US 9615889 W 19961004
  • US 53947195 A 19951005

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO9713169A1] A durable window (16) which is scaleable in size is provided for transmitting 0.4 to 0.9 micrometer visible and near infrared wavelengths, 1.06 and 1.54 micrometer laser and 3 to 5 micrometer medium wave infrared wavelengths. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a 5 to 20 micrometer thick hard sapphire coating (34) on a multispectral zinc sulfide substrate (32). This window provides a higher transmission and therefore higher acquisition range for infrared imaging systems, while still providing the same exterior durability as bulk sapphire. Since there is less absorption, there is also less emission from the window of the present invention in comparison with a bulk sapphire window. Accordingly, background noise is reduced. Sapphire-coated multispectral zinc sulfide windows are also considerably less expensive than the expensive bulk sapphire substrate alternative. Furthermore, multispectral zinc sulfide substrates are available in large sizes up to 30 inches (0.762 m) in diameter. The application of a durable sapphire coating allows a straightforward scalability which can be used to produce the large size windows (i.e., 10 to 20 inches in dimension) necessary for multisegmented "greenhouse"-type window assemblies integrated into high-speed aircraft airframes.

IPC 1-7

G02B 1/02; G02B 1/10; B64C 1/06; B64C 1/14

IPC 8 full level

G02B 1/11 (2006.01); B32B 7/02 (2006.01); B64C 1/14 (2006.01); B64D 47/08 (2006.01); C23C 14/08 (2006.01); G02B 1/10 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP US)

G02B 1/105 (2020.05 - EP); G02B 1/14 (2015.01 - EP US)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

BE CH DE ES FR GB IT LI NL SE

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 9713169 A1 19970410; AU 699028 B2 19981119; AU 7388696 A 19970428; EP 0796447 A1 19970924; IL 120928 A0 19970930; JP H10503146 A 19980324

DOCDB simple family (application)

US 9615889 W 19961004; AU 7388696 A 19961004; EP 96936174 A 19961004; IL 12092896 A 19961004; JP 51443296 A 19961004