Silicon carbide high performance optics: a cost-effective, flexible fabrication process

John M. Casstevens; Abuagela Rashed; Ronald Plummer; Don Bray; Rob L. Gates; Edgar Lara-Curzio; Matt K. Ferber; Tim Kirkland

doi:10.1117/12.453653

27 December 2001 Silicon carbide high performance optics: a cost-effective, flexible fabrication process

John M. Casstevens, Abuagela Rashed, Ronald Plummer, Don Bray, Rob L. Gates, Edgar Lara-Curzio, Matt K. Ferber, Tim Kirkland

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4451, Optical Manufacturing and Testing IV; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.453653
Event: International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, 2001, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Silicon carbide may well be the best known material for the manufacture of high performance optical components. This material offers many advantages over glasses and metals that have historically been used in high performance optical systems. A combination of extremely high specific stiffness (E/r), high thermal conductivity and outstanding dimensional stability make silicon carbide superior overall to beryllium and low-expansion glass ceramics. A major impediment to wide use of silicon carbide in optical systems has been the cost associated with preliminary shaping and final finishing of silicon carbide. Because silicon carbide is an extremely hard and strong material, precision machining can only be done with expensive diamond tooling on very stiff high quality machine tools. Near-net-shape slip casting of silicon carbide can greatly reduce the cost of silicon carbide mirror substrates but this process still requires significant diamond grinding of the cast components. The process described here begins by machining the component from all special type of graphite. This graphite can rapidly be machined with conventional multi-axis CNC machine tools to achieve any level of complexity and lightweighting required. The graphite is then directly converted completely to silicon carbide with very small and very predictable dimensional change. After conversion to silicon carbide the optical surface is coated with very fine grain CVD silicon carbide which is easily polished to extreme smoothness. Details of the fabrication process are described and photos and performance specifications of an eight-inch elliptical demonstration mirror are provided.

Citation Download Citation

John M. Casstevens, Abuagela Rashed, Ronald Plummer, Don Bray, Rob L. Gates, Edgar Lara-Curzio, Matt K. Ferber, and Tim Kirkland "Silicon carbide high performance optics: a cost-effective, flexible fabrication process", Proc. SPIE 4451, Optical Manufacturing and Testing IV, (27 December 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.453653

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available