New-Technology Silicon Carbide (NTSIC^(R)) is a reaction sintered silicon carbide with very high bending strength. Two times higher bending strength than other SiC materials is important characteristics in an optical mirror for space application. The space optics is to endure the launch environment such as mechanical vibration and shock as well as lightweight and good thermal stability of their figure. NTSIC has no open pore. It provides good surface roughness for infrared and visible application, when its surface is polished without additional coatings. Additional advantages are in the fabrication process. The sintering temperature is significantly lower than that of a sintered silicon carbide ceramics and its sintering shrinkage is less than one percent. These advantages will provide rapid progress to fabricate large structures. Both reaction bonding method and brazing are studied in order to larger application for larger telescope. It is concluded that NTSIC has potential to provide large lightweight optical mirror.

Date Published: 17 September 2007
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 6666, Optical Materials and Structures Technologies III, 66660J (17 September 2007); doi: 10.1117/12.732309

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6666:
Optical Materials and Structures Technologies III
William A. Goodman; Joseph L. Robichaud, Editor(s)