Intlvac Thin Film is proud to be among the world leaders in gold coatings and deposition. Gold is not just something that looks beautiful, but it is also very versatile. We have worked with it for over twenty years, using a variety of techniques, and have developed some of the most unique ways of depositing it.

Gold Mirrors

Intlvac fabricates high-quality mirrors through our sputtering systems. The Nanochrome Atlas V is a robust system that we use to produce 500mm diameter gold mirrors atop borosilicate glass and fused silica. Prior to the deposition, argon plasma is used to clean the substrate. Using magnetron sputtering, we then deposit adhesion layers to our substrate and follow up with our main material. These mirrors are excellent infrared (IR) reflectors, which is a lesser-known property of gold. This product is a highlight example of our expertise in adhesion.

Metalized Optical Fiber

Our fiber metalization services have been used by a variety of customers. We have re-coated Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), metalized ends and mid span sections up to one kilometer in length on each end and have made internal infrared (IR) reflectors on fiber ends. We have developed processes with and without adhesion layers.

Visit our Fiber Metalization page to learn more.

Irregular Geometries

Through our R&D, we have refined ways to coat gold onto irregular geometries. This was an impressive feat in itself because gold resists adhesion to many surfaces. Shown here is a gold bowl with extremely rough geometry. It is difficult to see, but its depth is approximately 10 cm. The gold coating shows no bubbling or gaps in the crevices. We are able to include scratch-resistant coatings as well.

In addition, these 500u Graphite Spheres were also coated using one of our sputtering systems via a unique process. A conformal coating can be applied to small parts and powders.

Gold on Polymer

Intlvac's proprietary low-temperature deposition technique allows for thin-film gold coatings on polymers and other temperature-sensitive substrates. This unique method is ideal for applications such as flexible, lightweight electronics or microfluidic technology often seen in automation and handheld diagnostic devices. In addition, while gold typically requires an adhesion layer to facilitate reliable coating, our innovative processing techniques allow us to skip the adhesion layer altogether and deposit ultrathin gold films down to only a couple of nanometers thick.

Tell us about your project using the form below, or get in touch at thinfilm@intlvac.com

Thin Film Coating Services

Use this form to request support for standard or custom thin film coatings—from single prototypes to full production runs. Include as much detail as you can about your application, substrate, and performance targets so our team can ensure your project receives Intlvac’s industry-leading thin film quality and support.

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