WHO WE ARE

Surface Optics Corporation offers a single engineering and manufacturing source for characterization, control, and exploitation of the optical properties of surfaces. Our unique understanding of customers’ needs allows us to offer engineering services, proprietary analytical software, reflectometers, hyperspectral and multispectral imagers, and surface coating products that are cost effective, innovative, and provide unsurpassed performance.

WHAT WE DO

Vacuum Deposition Coatings

Utilizing chambers from one meter diameter to 3 meter diameter, we develop and produce coatings including thermal control coatings.

Pigmented Coatings

Using our analytical expertise, we formulate and produce spectrally tailored paints for thermal control, signature modification, and other applications.

Hyperspectral and Multispectral Imaging

Dual-band and four-band high spatial resolution and high-speed short-wave infrared (SWIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) systems. Patented real-time imagers offering high spatial and spectral resolution throughout the visible and infrared spectrum (0.4 µm to 12 µm).

R&D Engineering Services

Expert support for projects in optical phenomenology and measurements, and development of customized instruments and accessories for specific measurement
applications.

Reflectometer Instrumentation

Laboratory, field-portable, and hand-held systems fully characterize surface scattering from 0.4 µm to 12 µm.

Optical Properties Measurements

World-class measurement facility and industry leader in supplying high quality spectral directional and bidirectional reflectance measurements for modeling, simulation, special effects and low observable study.

RECENT NEWS

Leveraging Hyperspectral Imaging for Rapid, Non-Destructive Quality Control of Ginseng

Ginseng is a traditional medical herb used for more than 2,000 years to treat various conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, promote immune and central nervous system (CNS) function, relieve stress, and for its antioxidant activities. Ginsenosides are considered the main bioactive components and essential indicators for the quality evaluation of ginseng. Among them, […]

Surface Optics Coatings Protecting Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s Deformable Mirrors

The Surface Optics Coatings Lab had the privilege of contributing to a critical optical component of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, slated to launch by May 2027. Roman is an infrared telescope named after Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first Chief of Astronomy. She is also known as the “Mother of Hubble” for her foundational […]

Thermo-Optical Measurements and Advanced Coatings for Space Applications

For over 45 years, Surface Optics has partnered with the world’s leading aerospace innovators, providing precise measurement instrumentation, comprehensive lab services, and specialized thin-film coatings. From optical property characterization in our state-of-the-art lab to portable reflectometers for on-site testing, Surface Optics offers effective products and services for validating thermal control parameters for spacecraft materials. Learn […]

Figure 4 SOC-210 measurement of hemispherical BDR for a sample of diffuse gold.

BSDF, BRDF and BTDF – A Review of Measurement Approaches

What is BSDF? Light illuminating a surface may be reflected, transmitted or absorbed. The patterns of that interaction encode information about surface shape, material composition and structure. The quantitative representation of these patterns is the Bidirectional Scattering Distribution Function (BSDF). BSDF radiometrically characterizes the scatter of optical radiation from and through a surface interface as […]