Converted Silicon Carbide Technology Developments for Optics

摘要

Silicon carbide structures fabricated by converting near-net-shape graphite preforms via Chemical Vapor Conversion (CVC) phase reaction have long provided improved performance components for electronics processing. In recent years, this same technology has been applied to the fabrication of simple and lightweighted mirrors and is moving into optical bench applications. To support the expanded applications, Poco has further evaluated the material properties of SUPERSiC? silicon carbide, developed technologies to mount silicon carbide mirrors on benches of similar and dissimilar materials, and fabricated complex monolithic geometries using in situ conversion bonding of mating graphite components. Overviews of each of these areas will be presented.