Description
Apply and cure optical coatings on lenses and precision optics using vacuum deposition, sputtering, and liquid processes. Prepare substrates, operate coating equipment, verify coating performance, and maintain cleanroom tools and records to meet optical specifications.
- • Review work orders and specifications to determine coating type, thickness, and process parameters.
- • Clean and prepare lenses and substrates using ultrasonic baths, detergents, solvents, and deionized water.
- • Inspect incoming substrates for chips, scratches, pits, and contamination under bright light and magnification.
- • Apply masks, tapes, or edge protection to control clear aperture and protected areas.
- • Mount and align lenses on racks, domes, or spindles for coating using precision hand tools.
- • Load parts into vacuum chambers, spin or dip coaters, and curing stations per setup instructions.
- • Select coating materials, targets, filaments, and fixtures according to recipes and schedules.
- • Set up and operate vacuum deposition, sputtering, or evaporation equipment; control pumps, heaters, shutters, and rotation.
- • Program and monitor coating cycles, deposition rate, and uniformity using controllers and quartz crystal monitors.
- • Cure hard coats or primers in ovens or UV systems and manage bake and cool-down times.
- • Unload, de-rack, and handle coated optics with cleanroom procedures to prevent damage.
- • Measure coating thickness, reflectance, transmittance, and adhesion using spectrophotometers, ellipsometers, or tape tests.
- • Inspect coated optics for cosmetic defects and conformance; segregate and document nonconforming product.
- • Maintain coating chambers and fixtures by cleaning and replacing shields, liners, and gaskets.
- • Troubleshoot process issues and adjust parameters within limits to meet specifications.
- • Record lot data, process parameters, and inspection results for traceability and SPC.
- • Comply with cleanroom, ESD, and chemical safety procedures when handling solvents and vacuum equipment.
- • Coordinate with upstream and downstream teams to ensure coated parts meet production requirements.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
