Quarter-wave Mirrors | previous | next | feedback |
Definition: dielectric mirrors based on a sequence of quarter-wave layers
A quarter-wave mirror, also called a Bragg mirror, is a dielectric mirror structure which consists of an alternating sequence of layers of two different optical materials, with each optical layer thickness corresponding to one-quarter of the wavelength for which the mirror is designed (here, the wavelength is taken to be the wavelength within the material). For a given wavelength and number of layer pairs, a quarter-wave mirror is the structure which can result in the highest reflectivity.
Quarter-wave stacks are also very basic building blocks of more complicated dielectric mirror structures.
See also: Bragg mirrors, dielectric mirrors, chirped mirrors
