Patent ID: 7119960

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an optical filter, the filter comprising a substrate, a multi-cavity Fabry-Perot layer, and an extended blocking layer, wherein for the multi-cavity Fabry-Perot layer, the method comprises the steps of: calculating, with a data processor, a first theoretical transmission T i of light through the multi-cavity Fabry-Perot layer; calculating, with the data processor, a first expected deposition time t i of the multi-cavity Fabry-Perot layer; measuring, during deposition of the multi-cavity Fabry-Perot layer for a period less than the first t i , a first measured transmission T m of light through the multi-cavity Fabry-Perot layer; determining, with the data processor, when deposition of the multi-cavity Fabry-Perot layer is to terminate based upon the first theoretical transmission T i and the first measured transmission T m , wherein for the extended blocking layer, the method further comprises the steps of: calculating, with the data processor, a second expected deposition time t i of the extended blocking layer; and determining, with the data processor, when deposition of the extended blocking layer is to terminate based upon the second expected deposition time t i .