Thermal control filter

Claim 2

A filter as in claim 2 wherein said copper layer has a thickness ranging from 8 to 45 millimicrons.

Claim 3

A filter as in claim 2 wherein said copper layer has a thickness of approximately 13.5 millimicrons.

Claim 4

A filter as in claim 1 wherein said metal layer is formed of gold.

Claim 5

A filter as in claim 5 wherein said gold layer has a thickness ranging from 2 to 30 millimicrons.

Claim 6

A filter as in claim 5 wherein said gold layer has an optimum thickness of approximately 4.4 millimicrons.

Claim 7

A filter as in claim 5 together with an additional layer disposed between said metal layer and said second layer of a dielectric material and being formed of yttrium oxide having a physical thickness of 166 + or - 34 millimicrons.

Claim 8

A filter as in claim 8 wherein said first and second layers of a dielectric material are formed of titanium dioxide and magnesium fluoride, respectively.

Claim 9

A filter as in claim 1 wherein said thin nucleation layer is formed of nickel.

Claim 10

A filter as in claim 1 wherein said first and second layers of a dielectric material are formed of aluminum oxide and have optimum thicknesses of 58 + or - 17 millimicrons and 37 + or -11 millimicrons respectively.

Claim 11

A filter as in claim 1 wherein said metal is formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of copper and gold.

Claim 12

In a thermal control filter, a substrate formed of a material capable of transmitting visible energy, said substrate having a surface and a coating formed on said surface, said coating being formed of at least four layers counting from the substrate, the first of said layers being formed of a dielectric material, the second of said layers being a thin nucleating layer formed of a material different from the substrate and being thin enough so that it is substantially ineffective in changing the optical properties of the filter, third of said layers being formed of copper and having a thickness ranging from 8 to 45 millimicrons, said thin nucleating layer serving as a nucleating layer for said copper layer, and said fourth layer being formed of a dielectric material.

Claim 13

A filter as in claim 13 wherein said first and fourth layers are formed of aluminum oxide and wherein said first layer has an optimum physical thickness of 58 + or - 17 millimicrons and said fourth layer has an optimum physical thickness of 37 + or -11 millimicrons.

Claim 14

A filter as in claim 13 wherein said copper layer has an optimum physical thickness of approximately 13.5 millimicrons.

Claim 15

In a thermal control filter, a substrate formed of a material capable of transmitting visible energy, said substrate having a surface and a coating formed on said surface, said coating comprising at least five layers counting From the substrate, said first layer being formed of a dielectric material, said second layer being formed of a thin nucleating layer being thin enough so that it is substantially ineffective in changing the optical properties of the filter, said third layer being formed of gold having a thickness ranging from 2 to 30 millimicrons, said thin nucleating layer serving as a nucleating layer for said gold layer, said fourth layer being formed of yttrium oxide, and said fifth layer being formed of a dielectric material.

Claim 16

A filter as in claim 16 wherein said first layer is formed of titanium dioxide and said fifth layer is formed of magnesium fluoride.

Claim 17

A filter as in claim 17 wherein said first layer has an optimum physical thickness of 29.4 + or - 9 millimicrons and said fifth layer has an optimum physical thickness of 80.15 + or - 24 millimicrons.

Claim 18

A filter as in claim 16 wherein said gold layer has an optimum thickness of approximately 4.4 millimicrons.

Claim 19

A filter as in claim 16 wherein said yttrium oxide layer has a thickness of approximately 166 + or - 34 millimicrons.