Precision Metallization for Hermetically Sealed Fiber Optics

Intlvac offers numerous metallized coating options for optical fiber ends and mid spans, cylindrical rods or tubes.

Our coating experts can create high-quality, uniformly symmetric single or multi-layer films of nearly any metallic element or alloy using a variety of deposition techniques including evaporation and sputtering.

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Applications

  • Hermetically sealed opto-electronic packages
  • AR and protected mirror coatings on polished ends
  • Re-coating of fiber bragg gratings

  • Coating optical fibers of any geometry
  • Single & ribbon fiber coating
  • Coating midspan window, connectorized or jacketed components

  • Fiber termini, fanouts, breakouts and patch cards
  • DTS, FBG's, optical isolators and filters
  • Waveguides, image conduits and light guides
  • Rod & tube exteriors

Telecommunications & Data Centers

Hermetic, mechanically robust, high-density fiber interfaces for telecom and data center systems, maintaining stable optical performance and long-term reliability even in harsh operating environments.

Aerospace & Defense Systems

Hermetic, vibration-resistant fiber feedthroughs and connectors in defense and aerospace systems, reliably carrying high-bandwidth optical signals through pressurized or vacuum-sealed structures under extreme temperature, shock, and environmental conditions.

Subsea Technologies

Shields optical interfaces from continuous saltwater exposure and extreme hydrostatic pressure, enabling durable, low-loss signal paths in undersea cables, repeaters, and wet-mate connectors over long deployment lifetimes.

Robotics & Automation

Enables rugged, hermetic fiber interfaces that carry high-speed optical signals into motion-intensive, sealed assemblies—such as robotic arms, sensors, and control modules—while resisting vibration, flexing, and industrial contaminants.

Materials and Performance

High-Purity Metallization Stacks

  • Ti-Pt-Au (Titanium-Platinum-Gold)
  • Ti-Cu-Ni (Titanium-Copper-Nickel)
  • Other pure 99.99% metals available on request

The Midas coating chamber contains an array of sputter cathodes that provide uniform, radially symmetric single- and multi-layer coatings using up to three different materials.

Proprietary low-temperature deposition techniques enable material deposition on a wide range of substrate materials, including temperature-sensitive plastics.

Typical throughput: up to 12 mid-span or 50 end-span metallization coatings in a typical 60-minute run.

Material capabilities include:

  • Titanium
  • Copper
  • Platinum
  • Nickel
  • Gold
  • Chromium
  • Inconel
  • Aluminum

Substrate capabilities include:

  • Optical fibers
  • Metallic fibers
  • Plastics (PEEK, VESPEL, polyethylene, etc.)
  • Silicon wafers

High-Throughput Production

Using a unique proprietary design and low-energy ion pre-cleaning, Intlvac ensures:

  • Minimal contamination before coating
  • Consistent radial symmetry for precision fiber alignment
  • Up to 60 fibers processed per run in 45 minutes
  • Low-maintenance, reconfigurable system architecture

Our load-locked system enables seamless handling of jacketed or connectorized components, maximizing productivity while maintaining the highest quality standards.

Why Choose Intlvac for Fiber Metallization?

  • Nanometer-precision thin films
  • High throughput with fast turnaround
  • Ultra-low porosity coatings for long-term reliability
  • Proven performance to Telcordia and MIL-STD-883 standards
  • Custom-engineered solutions tailored to your application

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

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