This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for absorption film stacks. In one aspect, the absorption film stack is an interferometric absorption film stack that, for a selected wavelength of light, reduces light reflected from a surface of the stack by setting up a standing wave within the stack of materials. In some implementations, an absorbing layer may be placed at the peak of the standing wave interference pattern. The absorbing layer can be implemented to absorb selected wavelengths of light and substantially reduce the amount of unwanted reflections. In some other implementations, a reflective surface may be formed on the surface of the stack opposite the absorbing layer.