Patterning of a spacer layer in an interference filter

摘要

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a color-shifting optical device with a dielectric spacer layer such that different regions thereof have different thicknesses. The method includes: (a) coating a substrate with one of a reflector or absorber layer, (b) providing a spacer layer onto the layer coated in step (a), the spacer layer comprising a spacer material and a soluble pocket within the spacer layer, (c) modifying the spacer layer by dissolving the soluble pocket so as to remove a portion of the spacer material to vary the thickness of the spacer layer, and (d) coating the spacer layer with another of the reflector or absorber layers.