Perfect mirror

A perfect mirror is a theoretical mirror that reflects light (and electromagnetic radiation in general) perfectly, and doesn't transmit or absorb it.

Domestic mirrors are not perfect mirrors as they absorb a significant portion of the light which falls on them.

Dielectric mirrors are glass or other substrates on which one or more layers of dielectric material are deposited, to form an optical coating. A very complex dielectric mirror can reflect up to 99.999% of the light incident upon it, for a narrow range of wavelengths and angles. A simpler mirror may reflect 99.9% of the light, but may cover a broader range of wavelengths.

Almost any dielectric material can act as a perfect mirror through total internal reflection. This effect only occurs at shallow angles, however, and only for light inside the material. The effect happens when light goes from a medium with a higher index of refraction to one with a lower value (like air).

A new type of "perfect mirror", developed in 1998 by researchers at MIT, is a hybrid made of thin films of metals and dielectrics. [cite web |title=MIT researchers create a 'perfect mirror' |url=http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/nr/1998/mirror.html |publisher=MIT |date=November 26, 1998 |accessdate=2008-09-22] These unusual mirrors are very efficient reflectors over a broad range of angles and wavelengths, and are insensitive to polarization.

ee also

*Superlens
*Superprism
*Neutron supermirror

References