DSM Desotech, the world's leading supplier of high-performance UV-curable materials for the manufacture of optical fiber and cable, is pleased to announce the introduction of UV-curable OptoClear™ single layer anti-reflective (AR) coatings for display applications.

The Nano-Structured Advantage
Conventional wet AR coatings generally rely on two optical layers (low refractive index and high refractive index) to achieve good AR properties over a broad range of visible wavelengths.  With OptoClear™ nano-structured AR coatings, this is reduced to a single optical layer as the nano-structured surface provides a gradient in refractive index (see Figure 1) and thus excellent AR properties in one layer.

OptoClear™ nano-structured AR systems are low in color and haze and have less angle dependency of their optical properties than conventional AR coatings.  For systems with good mechanical durability (pencil hardness 2H-3H, ASTM D3363-00), it is necessary to coat the AR coating on top of specialized hard coats so that the balance of excellent optical properties (see Figure 2) and mechanical durability can be achieved.

Better Production Efficiency
The following factors lead to increased productivity with nano-structured systems:  a) reduction in number of optical layers;  b) the flatness of the reflectivity spectrum of a nano-structured system, resulting in reduced sensitivity to changes in thickness (±10nm).  Cost benefits result from both the reduced number of coating steps as well as the increased percentage yield of coated substrate.

Comprehensive Product Line
In addition to OptoClear™ nano-structured AR coatings, other DSM Desotech UV-curable display materials include:

•  Low refractive index AR coatings
•  Abrasion resistant hard coats
•  High refractive index AR coatings

To learn more, or to request a product sample, contact:

 Dr. Chander Chawla
Market Development Manager
DSM Desotech
Tel:  +1-847-468-7736
chander.chawla@dsm.com