An optical filter includes: an absorption layer including a first near-infrared absorbing dye (D1), a second near-infrared absorbing dye (D2), and a transparent resin; and a reflection layer including a dielectric multilayer film. The dye (D1) and the dye (D2) are squarylium compounds satisfying following (1) to (3). (1) The dye (D1) has a maximum absorption wavelength λ.sub.max(D1) within a range of 680 to 730 nm, and the difference between a wavelength at which a transmittance is 80% on the shorter wavelength side than λ.sub.max(D1) when the concentration is adjusted such that a transmittance at λ.sub.max(D1) is 10%, and λ.sub.max(D1) is 100 nm or less. (2) The dye (D2) has a maximum absorption wavelength λ.sub.max(D2) within a range of 720 to 770 nm. (3) A value obtained by subtracting λ.sub.max(D1) from λ.sub.max(D2) is 30 nm or more and 85 nm or less.

A combination structure includes an in-plane pattern of unit cells, wherein the each unit cell includes nanostructures each having a dimension that is smaller than a near-infrared wavelength and a light-absorbing layer adjacent to the nanostructures and including a near-infrared absorbing material configured to absorb light in at least a portion of a near-infrared wavelength spectrum. The nanostructures are define a nanostructure array in the unit cells, and a wavelength width at 50% transmittance of a transmission spectrum in the near-infrared wavelength spectrum of the combination structure is wider than a wavelength width at 50% transmittance of a transmission spectrum in the near-infrared wavelength spectrum of the nanostructure array.

A lens for protective gear has first and second polymer layers with a glass layer therebetween. The glass layer is fused to the first and second polymer layers and encapsulated by the first and second polymer layers with the glass layer in compression. The lens may have a coating that provides the lens with (i) less than about 5 percent transmittance for light having wavelengths of less than 400 nm and greater than about 700 nm for an entire horizontal field of view of the lens, (ii) greater than 75 percent transmittance of light having wavelengths of between about 400 nm and about 700 nm for the entire horizontal field of view of the lens with less than about 5 percent transmittance of light having wavelength between about 530 nm and about 580 nm for a horizontal field of view of the lens of not greater than 60 degrees.

A coated article includes a substrate, a first dielectric layer, a first metallic layer, a first primer layer, a second dielectric layer, a second metallic layer, a second primer layer, a third dielectric layer, a third primer layer, a third metallic layer, and a fourth dielectric layer. The total combined thickness of the metallic layers is at least 30 nanometers and no more than 60 nanometers. The article can have a sheet resistance of less than 0.85 Ω/□, a visible light reflectance of not more than 10%, and a visible light transmittance of at least 70%.

An optical device includes an optical sensor, a dye-based optical filter, and a multi-bandpass optical interference filter. The multi-bandpass optical interference filter is configured to pass a first spectral range of visible light, a second spectral range of visible light, and a third spectral range of visible light. The second spectral range does not overlap with the first spectral range, and the third spectral range does not overlap with the first spectral range and the second spectral range. The multi-bandpass optical interference filter is further configured to prevent passage of a fourth spectral range of near-infrared light. An angle shift associated with each spectral range, of the first spectral range, the second spectral range, and the third spectral range, is less than or equal to 2.0% of a center wavelength of the spectral range for angles of incidence between 0 and 30 degrees.

A UV-IR-absorbing composition according to the present invention includes: an absorber formed by a phosphonic acid represented by the following formula (a) and copper ion, the absorber being dispersed in the UV-IR-absorbing composition; a phosphoric acid ester allowing the absorber to be dispersed; a matrix resin; and an alkoxysilane monomer. ##STR00001##

A reflector including a substrate and a plurality of alternating layers of two materials having different indices of refraction disposed on the substrate, wherein the reflector exhibits a central peak in reflectance vs wavelength and the reflectance of the high-energy side-lobes is increased in intensity and the reflectance of the low-energy side-lobes is reduced in intensity and method for making the reflector is disclosed.

An optical (1a) includes a light-absorbing layer (10). The light-absorbing layer absorbs light in at least a portion of the near-infrared region. When light with a wavelength of 300 to 1200 nm is incident on the optical filter (1a) at an incident angle of 0°, the optical filter (1a) satisfies given spectral transmittance requirements. When an average of absolute values of differences each between a value of a normalized spectral transmittance for an incident angle x° and a value of a normalized spectral transmittance for an incident angle y° in the wavelength range of W nm to V nm (W<V) is expressed as ΔT.sub.S.sup.x/y.sub.W-V, the optical filter (1a) satisfies requirements ΔT.sub.S.sup.0/40.sub.380-530≤3%, ΔT.sub.S.sup.0/40.sub.450-650≤3%, and ΔT.sub.S.sup.0/40.sub.530-750≤3%.

An optical body including: a first optical layer which has a surface having a convex profile in which a plurality of one-directionally extending elongated convex portions are one-dimensionally aligned in one direction; an inorganic layer disposed on the surface of the first optical layer on a side having the convex profile and a second optical layer disposed on a side of the inorganic layer so that the convex profile is embedded; wherein the convex profile meets at least one of the following (1) to (4): (1) a height varies in an extending direction in each of the elongated convex portions, (2) a ridge portion meanders in a direction perpendicular to both the extending direction and a height direction of the convex portion in each of the elongated convex portions, (3) heights of the elongated convex portions adjacent to each other are different from each other, and (4) a triangular prism-shaped convex portion and an elongated convex portion having a curved surface are adjacent to each other.

A multilayer film includes pluralities of first layers and polymeric second layers arranged along a thickness direction of the multilayer film. The first and second layers having different compositions. At least one layer of the multilayer film includes at least one polymer and metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed in the at least one polymer. The at least one polymer includes a first polymer including (meth)acrylic acid monomer units. The metal oxide nanoparticles are surface modified with a carboxylic acid silane surface modifying agent.