Optical component and timepiece

Abstract

An optical component includes a base material and an antireflection film containing silica particles, wherein the silica particles have a first local maximum in the range of 1.5 nm or more and 2.5 nm or less (a first range), a second local maximum in the range of 3.5 nm or more and 4.5 nm or less (a second range), and a third local maximum in the range of 7.5 nm or more and 8.5 nm or less (a third range) in a number-based particle size distribution. It is preferred that the silica particles have a fourth local maximum in the range of 5.5 nm or more and 6.5 nm or less in the number-based particle size distribution.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]1. Technical Field[0002]The present invention relates to an optical component and a timepiece.[0003]2. Related Art[0004]In an optical component such as a cover glass for a timepiece, an antireflection film which prevents light reflection is provided for the purpose of enhancing visibility on an opposite surface side or the like.[0005]In the related art, an optical component had a complicated structure such that many layers are stacked on one another for obtaining a sufficient antireflection function (see, for example JP-A-2010-37115). Further, in the related art, each layer constituting an antireflection film is formed by a chemical vapor deposition and therefore, the productivity of the optical component is poor, and also the production cost is high.SUMMARY[0006]An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide an optical component including an antireflection film having an excellent antireflection function with a simple structure, and also to provide a ti...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0109]The cover glass is present at a place close to the viewpoint of an observer (a user or the like) at the time of using a timepiece, and also time-displaying members such as a dial plate and hands are generally disposed on a rear surface side of the cover glass, and therefore, the cover glass (optical component) is a member which is strongly required to have visibility of a dial plate and the like through the cover glass (optical component). Therefore, in the case where the invention with which a high antireflection function is exhibited is applied to a cover glass, the effect of the invention is more remarkably exhibited.

[0110]Further, the cover glass is a component which has many opportunities to be visually recognized by an observer (a user or the like), and has a large influence on the appearance of the entire timepiece. In the embodiment of the invention, a high antireflection function is exhibited, and therefore, the excellent appearance (aestheticity) inherent in an ornamental component such as a dial plate which is visually recognized through the cover glass can be effectively exhibited. Therefore, by applying the embodiment of the invention to a cover glass for a timepiece, the aesthetic appearance of the timepiece as a whole can be made particularly excellent.

[0111]Further, in a diver's watch or the like, liquid tightness in a case is maintained, however, a humidity contained in the case when assembling the watch is dew-condensed during use to cause a problem of decreasing the visibility in some cases. However, according to the embodiment of the invention, the antireflection film has a high antireflection function and also has a high antifogging property, and therefore, for example, in a diver's watch, by disposing a cover glass (optical component), to which the embodiment of the invention is applied, such that a surface provided with the antireflection film faces the inner surface side, the problem of dew condensation as described above can be more reliably prevented.Second Embodiment

[0112]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a second embodiment of the optical component according to the invention. In the following description, different points from the above embodiment will be mainly described, and the description of the same matter will be omitted.

[0113]As shown in FIG. 3, an optical component P10 of this embodiment includes abase material P1, an antireflection film P2 containing silica particles P21, and a foundation layer P3.

[0114]In this manner, by including the foundation layer P3, for example, the adhesiveness between the base material P1 and the antireflection film P2 (the adhesiveness through the foundation layer P3) can be made particularly excellent, and thus, the durability and reliability of the optical component P10 can be made particularly excellent.

Problems solved by technology

Further, in the related art, each layer constituting an antireflection film is formed by a chemical vapor deposition and therefore, the productivity of the optical component is poor, and also the production cost is high.

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