Infrared optics applications of thin polyaniline emeraldine base films

The use of polyaniline emeraldine base films as antireflection coating for near and middle IR optics elements was studied. The optical quality of ZnSe substrates spin-coated with thin PANI EB layers were studied using a Linnik interferometer. The spectral properties of PANI coated ZnSe plates were investigated in broad IR band with FTIR spectrometer. It was shown that PANI coating allows a significant decrease of Fresnel losses in the near and middle IR bands (1.0-6.25 mum). The coating allowed continuous transmission of high power density of IR radiation produced by CO2 laser. The transmission coefficient doesn't depend on the incident laser beam power density (up to 3 W/mm(2)). The laser irradiation damage threshold of the PANI EB coating was studied at a wavelength of 1.5 mum and established as high as 0.1 GW/mm(2) (tau = 12 10(-9)s) for PANI EB coating with a thickness of 150 nm. Microhardness of the PANI EB coated ZnSe plates was established as satisfactory.