We present a novel fast robust design method of multilayer optical coatings. The sensitivity of optical films to production errors is controlled in the whole optimization design procedure. We derive an analytical calculation model for fast robust design of multilayer optical coatings. We demonstrate its effectiveness by successful application of the robust design method to a neutral beam splitter. It is showed that the novel robust design method owns an inherent fast computation characteristic and the designed film is insensitive to the monitoring thickness errors in deposition process. This method is especially of practical significance to improve the mass production yields and repetitive production of high-quality optical coatings. The control concept of film sensitivity with respect to layer parameters errors might be firstly put forward in the design of multilayer optical coatings by Dobrowolski in their further publication of the film program FILTER developed at National Research Council of Canada [1, 2]. It was done by adding the sum of derivatives of the basic design merit function with respect to any chosen set of construction parameters into the basic design merit function in the optimization procedure, but no actual applications were given. Zorc also pointed the feasibility of choosing practically optimum design film in relation to production errors in his research on a V-type AR coating at 1064？nm [3]. Actually the true application of robust optical coating design might be realized by Zheng and Tang with the effect of monitoring errors on the spectral characteristics considered [4]. The merit function in their design includes two parts, one is the optical property and the other is the calculated yield of finished products of the multilayer coatings, which is taken as an end optimization goal. The disadvantage of Zheng’s method is that the computation accuracy and time of the calculated yield depend on the number of computer simulation, which is the worst when the layer bumper is large. Another notable progress of robust optical coating design was accomplished by Greiner with the expected optical performance optimized in the design procedure under some known statistical distribution of the layer parameters variations [5]. However, there is also a confliction between the computation accuracy and time of the expected optical performance in Greiner’s method. In the following design contests of 1998 and 2001 topical meeting on Optical Interference Coatings, practical demands of robustness with manufacturing errors were emphasized in the design
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