PPolySim OS
For Educators · Thin-Film Coating

Thin-Film Coating for a camera lens

Built for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs. Simulate a camera lens live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Thin-Film / AR CoatingLive

Controls

Presets

Coat glass with a film a quarter-wavelength thick and its two reflections cancel by destructive interference — an anti-reflection coating. It works best at one wavelength (the reflectance dips to near zero there), giving camera lenses and glasses their faint purple sheen. The same physics makes soap bubbles and oil slicks shimmer with color.

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Data Inspector

Ideal thickness (550nm)100 nm
Min reflectance1.26%
Film index1.38

Governing equation

Reading this result: At 100 nm the film is almost exactly quarter-wave for 550 nm, so green-light reflection is nearly cancelled — an ideal AR coating.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for educators?
Yes — this version of "Thin-Film Coating for a camera lens" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.