Customized Thin Film Optical Element Fabrication System and Method

Abstract

A system comprising (i) thin film optical element comprising substrate and thin film stack (≥2 film layers; uniform thickness—variation of less than ±5% in any 10 mm2 stack) deposited on substrate's first side; (ii) holder comprising at least one opening; wherein holder has inner side and outer side having beveled edge extending into lip having flat side and beveled edge side; wherein beveled edge/beveled edge side of lip form angle <45° with flat side of lip/first side; wherein flat side of lip and holder inner side define socket receiving substrate; wherein opening exposes first side to deposition plume; wherein first side contacts flat side of lip, thereby allowing film stack deposition on first side; wherein beveled edge side/beveled edge provide film uniformity, and (iii) deposition source providing plume traveling towards first side perpendicular to flat side of lip/first deposition side; and wherein beveled edge side faces plume.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for making a thin film optical element comprising:
 (i) a thin film optical element comprising a substrate and a first thin film stack, wherein the first thin film stack is deposited on a first deposition side of the substrate; wherein the first thin film stack comprises two or more film layers; wherein the first thin film stack is characterized by a first uniform film thickness; and wherein the first uniform film thickness is defined as a thickness variation of less than about ±5% in any 10 mm 2  of the first thin film stack, when compared to an average first thin film stack thickness across the entire first thin film stack;   (ii) a holder comprising at least one holder opening; wherein the holder has a holder outer side and a holder inner side; wherein the holder outer side has at least one beveled edge extending into a lip; wherein the beveled edge and the lip define the at least one holder opening; wherein the lip has a substantially flat side and a beveled edge side; wherein the beveled edge and/or the beveled edge side of the lip form an angle of less than about 45° with the substantially flat side of the lip and/or the first deposition side; wherein the substantially flat side of the lip and the holder inner side define a holder socket; wherein the holder is configured to receive the substrate in the holder socket; wherein the holder opening is configured to expose the first deposition side of the substrate to a deposition plume; wherein a portion of the first deposition side of the substrate contacts the substantially flat side of the lip, thereby allowing for the first thin film stack to be deposited on the first deposition side of the substrate; and wherein the beveled edge side of the lip and/or the beveled edge provide for the first uniform film thickness of the first thin film stack; and   (iii) a deposition source configured to provide the deposition plume for depositing the first thin film stack on the first deposition side of the substrate; wherein the deposition plume travels towards the first deposition side of the substrate at a direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat side of the lip and/or to the first deposition side of the substrate; and wherein the beveled edge side of the lip faces the deposition plume.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a value of the angle between (a) the substantially flat side of the lip and/or the first deposition side of the substrate, and (b) the beveled edge side of the lip and/or the beveled edge is effective for minimizing edge effects of a given deposition plume spatial profile. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thin film optical element is characterized by a size of the first deposition side of the substrate of less than about 0.5 inches (12.7 mm). 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lip is characterized by a terminal edge that further defines the holder opening, wherein the terminal edge is selected from the group consisting of a sharp terminal edge, a blunted terminal edge, and a deflecting terminal edge. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a second deposition side spatially opposed to the first deposition side; wherein the thin film optical element further comprises a second thin film stack, wherein the second thin film stack is deposited on the second deposition side of the substrate; wherein the second thin film stack comprises two or more film layers; wherein the second thin film stack is characterized by a second uniform film thickness; wherein the second uniform film thickness is defined as a thickness variation of less than about ±5% in any 10 mm 2  of the second thin film stack, when compared to an average second thin film stack thickness across the entire second thin film stack. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising a mating holder; wherein the mating holder contacts the holder and the substrate; wherein the mating holder provides for securing the substrate in place for the deposition of the first thin film stack on the first deposition side of the substrate and/or the deposition of the second thin film stack on the second deposition side of the substrate; wherein the mating holder comprises at least one mating holder opening; wherein the mating holder has a mating holder outer side and a mating holder inner side; wherein the mating holder inner side contacts the holder inner side; wherein the mating holder outer side has at least one beveled edge extending into a lip; wherein the beveled edge and the lip of the mating holder define the at least one mating holder opening; wherein the lip of the mating holder has a substantially flat side and a beveled edge side; wherein the beveled edge and/or the beveled edge side of the lip of the mating holder form an angle of less than about 45° with the substantially flat side of the lip of the mating holder and/or the second deposition side; wherein the substantially flat side of the lip of the mating holder and the mating holder inner side define a mating holder socket; wherein the mating holder is configured to receive the substrate in the mating holder socket; wherein the mating holder opening is configured to expose the second deposition side of the substrate to a deposition plume; wherein a portion of the second deposition side of the substrate contacts the substantially flat side of the lip of the mating holder, thereby allowing for the second thin film stack to be deposited on the second deposition side of the substrate; wherein the beveled edge side of the lip and/or the beveled edge of the mating holder provide for the second uniform film thickness of the second thin film stack; wherein the holder opening and the mating holder opening are the same or different; and wherein the beveled edge side of the lip of the mating holder is the same or different as the beveled edge side of the lip of the holder. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the holder and the mating holder are configured to spatially rotate the secured substrate to provide for the deposition plume traveling towards the second deposition side of the substrate at a direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat side of the lip of the mating holder and/or to the second deposition side of the substrate; wherein the beveled edge side of the lip of the mating holder faces the deposition plume; and wherein the beveled edge of the mating holder and/or the beveled edge side of the lip of the mating holder are characterized by a geometry effective for minimizing edge effects of a given deposition plume spatial profile. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first thin film stack and the second thin film stack independently comprise from about 2 to about 50 layers; wherein each layer of the first thin film stack and/or the second thin film stack is independently characterized by a thickness of from about 0.5 nm to about 2 μm; wherein each of the first thin film stack and/or the second thin film stack is independently characterized by a thickness of from about 1 nm to about 10 μm; and wherein any two adjacent layers of the first thin film stack and/or the second thin film stack are characterized by a different refraction index from each other. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the substrate comprises an optically transparent material, glass, optically transparent glass, silica, sapphire, silicon, germanium, zinc selenide, zinc sulfide, polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyvinylchloride (PVC), diamond, ceramics, or combinations thereof; and wherein each layer of the first thin film stack and/or the second thin film stack independently comprises silicon (Si), niobium (Nb), germanium (Ge), binary oxides, quartz, silica (SiO 2 ), niobia (Nb 2 O 5 ), germania (GeO 2 ), magnesium fluoride (MgF 2 ), titania (TiO 2 ), alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), hafnium dioxide (HfO 2 ), ternary oxides, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the holder comprises a plurality of holder openings; wherein the plurality of holder openings provides for the deposition of a thin film stack on a plurality of substrates; and wherein each holder opening is configured to allow for the deposition of a thin film stack on an individual substrate. 
     
     
         11 . A method for making a thin film optical element comprising:
 (a) placing a substrate in a holder socket of a holder; wherein the substrate has a first deposition side; wherein the holder comprises at least one holder opening; wherein the holder has a holder outer side and a holder inner side; wherein the holder outer side has at least one beveled edge extending into a lip; wherein the beveled edge and the lip define the at least one holder opening; wherein the lip has a substantially flat side and a beveled edge side; wherein the beveled edge and/or the beveled edge side of the lip form an angle of less than about 45° with the substantially flat side of the lip and/or the first deposition side; wherein the substantially flat side of the lip and the holder inner side define the holder socket; and   (b) depositing, with a deposition plume, a first thin film stack on a first deposition side of the substrate to form a thin film optical element, wherein the thin film optical element comprises the substrate and the first thin film stack deposited on the first deposition side of the substrate;
 wherein the first thin film stack comprises two or more film layers; wherein the first thin film stack is characterized by a first uniform film thickness; and wherein the first uniform film thickness is defined as a thickness variation of less than about ±5% in any 10 mm 2  of the first thin film stack, when compared to an average first thin film stack thickness across the entire first thin film stack; 
 wherein a portion of the first deposition side of the substrate contacts the substantially flat side of the lip; wherein the holder opening exposes the first deposition side of the substrate to the deposition plume; wherein the beveled edge side of the lip and/or the beveled edge provide for the first uniform film thickness of the first thin film stack; 
 wherein the deposition plume travels towards the first deposition side of the substrate at a direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat side of the lip and/or to the first deposition side; and wherein the beveled edge side of the lip faces the deposition plume. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further excluding modifying the size of the thin film optical element; wherein the substrate is sized to a target size prior to depositing the first thin film stack. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a deposition plume spatial profile is tuned in accordance with the geometry of the beveled edge and/or the geometry of the beveled edge side of the lip to provide for minimizing edge effects during depositing the first thin film stack. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the deposition plume spatial profile is tuned by focusing the deposition plume; by masking the deposition plume; or both by focusing the deposition plume and by masking the deposition plume. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate has a second deposition side spatially opposed to the first deposition side. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising (A) inverting the substrate in the holder socket subsequent to depositing the first thin film stack; wherein the holder opening exposes the second deposition side of the substrate to the deposition plume; and wherein a portion of the second deposition side of the substrate contacts the substantially flat side of the lip; and (B) depositing, with the deposition plume, a second thin film stack on the second deposition side of the substrate; wherein the thin film optical element further comprises the second thin film stack deposited on the second deposition side of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a mating holder contacts the holder and the substrate; wherein the mating holder provides for securing the substrate in place for depositing a thin film stack on the substrate; wherein the mating holder comprises at least one mating holder opening; wherein the mating holder has a mating holder outer side and a mating holder inner side; wherein the mating holder inner side contacts the holder inner side; wherein the mating holder outer side has at least one beveled edge extending into a lip; wherein the beveled edge and the lip of the mating holder define the at least one mating holder opening; wherein the lip of the mating holder has a substantially flat side and a beveled edge side; wherein the beveled edge and/or the beveled edge side of the lip of the mating holder form an angle of less than about 45° with the substantially flat side of the lip of the mating holder and/or the second deposition side; wherein the substantially flat side of the lip of the mating holder and the mating holder inner side define a mating holder socket; wherein the mating holder receives the substrate in the mating holder socket; wherein a portion of the second deposition side of the substrate contacts the substantially flat side of the lip of the mating holder; wherein the holder opening and the mating holder opening are the same or different; and wherein the beveled edge side of the lip of the mating holder is the same or different as the beveled edge side of the lip of the holder. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising (i) inverting the substrate secured in the holder and the mating holder subsequent to depositing the first thin film stack; and (ii) depositing, with the deposition plume, a second thin film stack on the second deposition side of the substrate, wherein the thin film optical element further comprises the second thin film stack deposited on the second deposition side of the substrate;
 wherein the second thin film stack comprises two or more film layers; wherein the second thin film stack is characterized by a second uniform film thickness; wherein the second uniform film thickness is defined as a thickness variation of less than about +5% in any 10 mm 2  of the second thin film stack, when compared to an average second thin film stack thickness across the entire second thin film stack; 
 wherein the mating holder opening exposes the second deposition side of the substrate to the deposition plume; wherein the beveled edge of the lip of the mating holder opening faces the deposition plume; and wherein the beveled edge side of the lip and/or the beveled edge of the mating holder provide for the second uniform film thickness of the second thin film stack. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the thin film optical element is subjected to quality control analysis, wherein the quality control analysis comprises at least one analytical technique selected from the group consisting of ellipsometry, reflectance spectroscopy, transmission spectroscopy, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the thin film optical element is an integrated computational element (ICE); wherein the ICE is employed in an optical computing device; and wherein the optical computing device is further employed in a downhole tool in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. 
     
     
         21 . A holder system for making a thin film optical element comprising:
 a holder outer side comprising at least one beveled edge extending into a lip comprising a substantially flat side and a beveled edge side, wherein the beveled edge and/or the beveled edge side of the lip form an angle of less than about 45° with the substantially flat side of the lip;   at least one holder opening defined by the beveled edge and the lip;   a holder inner side; and   a holder socket defined by the substantially flat side of the lip and the holder inner side,   wherein the holder is configured to receive a substrate in the holder socket, and   wherein the holder opening is configured to expose a first deposition side of the substrate to a deposition plume.