Acktar

Acktar Ltd. makes light-absorbing black coatings for optical, space and industrial parts. It works from Kiryat Gat in Israel and Naumburg in Germany. The coatings are made by vacuum deposition, using inorganic materials that are not toxic.

Acktar was founded in 1994. It released its first black coating in 1996. This was Fractal Black, which absorbs 96% of visible and infrared light. In 2000 the company gained ISO 9001 certification. It later brought out new coating machines of its own design, and in 2009 it introduced Magic Black, which absorbs 99% of visible and near-infrared light. In 2005 it set up a German subsidiary, ACM Coatings GmbH. It also has a subsidiary in Japan. In 2007 it finished space qualification and was chosen by ESA as a Supplier of Choice for the James Webb space telescope.

The company offers black coatings from 13 nanometres to 50 microns thick. It also makes passive thermal control coatings in black, white and in-between shades. Other products include edge-blackened optics, and black-coated aluminium and polymer foils in die-cuts, sheets and rolls. It makes well plates and microarray slides too. Related items are pinholes, slits, beam dumps and mount tubes.

Uses include the inside of optical systems, tapes that absorb UV, visible and infrared light, and parts for cold shields and infrared detectors. Acktar coatings are also used in emitters and blackbodies, in thermal radiators for thermal control systems, and in parts for thermal cameras and night vision. Other uses are heat spreading in electronics and foils for high-capacity anodes and cathodes.

Acktar says its coatings can replace chemical etching, graining and anodizing. It argues that these older methods use harmful materials and create toxic waste, while its process creates no harmful waste.

Acktar serves aerospace, optics and photonics, semiconductor, electronics, automotive, biotechnology and medical device customers. It serves customers around the world through regional representatives.

Services

• Black coating services
• Coated black foils and films
• Stray light suppression
• Low reflectance coatings
• Thermal control coatings
• Space grade coatings
• Pinholes, slits and beam dumps
• Edge-blackened optics