Preparation and environmental simulation tests of large-size silicon carbide brazed reflection mirrors

Liu Yan; Zhang Hui; Liu Leimin; Yang Xiao; Huang Jian; Liu Xuejian; Chen Zhongming; Huang Zhengren

doi:10.12086/oee.2020.200088

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Liu Y, Zhang H, Liu L M, et al. Preparation and environmental simulation tests of large-size silicon carbide brazed reflection mirrors[J]. Opto-Electron Eng, 2020, 47(8): 200088. doi: 10.12086/oee.2020.200088

Citation:

Liu Y, Zhang H, Liu L M, et al. Preparation and environmental simulation tests of large-size silicon carbide brazed reflection mirrors[J]. Opto-Electron Eng, 2020, 47(8): 200088. doi: 10.12086/oee.2020.200088

Preparation and environmental simulation tests of large-size silicon carbide brazed reflection mirrors

Structural Ceramic and Composite Engineering Center, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China

Fund Project: Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51972320)

More Information

^*Corresponding author: Liu Yan, E-mail: stony2000@mail.sic.ac.cn

Received Date 09 January 2020

Revised Date 09 May 2020

Published Date 01 August 2020

Abstract

Abstract

With the space technologies progress rapidly, demand of large-size mirrors is intensively growing. In this paper, the developing trend of large-size space mirrors was discussed from the angles of material and fabrication technology. Taking 1.0 m aperture technical validation brazed mirror as an example, the design and fabrication of segments, joining and optic machining were analyzed. In addition, the 1.0 m aperture technical validation brazed mirror was performed environmental tests including thermal-vacuum test, vibration test and anti-radiation test in order to evaluate its engineering applicability. The experimental results show that the surface figure of the 1.0 m aperture technical validation brazed mirror changed from 0.038λ (λ=632.8 nm) to 0.037λ and 0.036λ after thermo-vacuum test and vibration test. Additionally, reflectivity of the brazed mirror basically kept stable after ⁶⁰Co γ-ray radiation test, indicating a brilliant application prospect.
- large-size silicon carbide space mirror /
- joining /
- surface figure /
- environmental simulation tests

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References

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Overview

Overview

Overview: In recent years, deep space exploration space telescope and high resolution remote sensing systems are experiencing rapid development. As key part of space optic system, large-size reflecting mirrors is intensively needed. With the progress of large-size space mirrors, material and fabrication technology are facing more serious challenges. As candidate optic materials to fabricate large-size mirrors, it should have higher specific stiffness (E/ρ), better thermal properties (λ/α), high lightweight and excellent isotropy. Among all the optic materials, such as Zeroduo glass ceramics, ULE glass, beryllium and silicon carbide, silicon carbide is especially suitable for the preparation of large-size space mirrors with its excellent properties, which has been chosen in some space programs by several countries. So, from the angle of material, silicon carbide is becoming the main-stream optic material to fabricate large-size space mirrors. However, restrained by preparation progress and equipment size, it is difficult to fabricate large-size monolithic space mirrors. So, brazing segments to assemble is a good technical path to solve the difficulty, which has realized engineering application in Herschel space telescope. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics have been involving the study of Sintered silicon carbide material space mirrors and joining technology of silicon carbide for a long time, and in this paper taking a 1.0 m aperture silicon carbide brazed technical validation mirror as example, the fabrication progress of brazed mirror was analyzed. Meanwhile, in order to evaluate engineering applicability of the brazed mirror, several environmental simulation tests, including thermal-vacuum test, vibration test and anti-radiation teste were performed. The 1.0 m aperture brazed mirror was designed as the structure of 6 fan-shape segments and 1 circular segment, which can be used for the off-axis optical system. Using the proper brazing material and optimized joining structure, the 1.0 m aperture brazed mirror was successfully fabricated. Then, the 1.0 m aperture brazed mirror was carried out optical machining, and the surface figure RMS was 0.038λ (λ=632.8 nm), indicating stiffness of the brazed mirror is satisfied with requirements of optic machining. The 1.0 m aperture brazed mirror was first performed thermal-vacuum test with the condition of 10^-3 Pa vacuum and 15~25 centigrade Celsius temperature cycle, and the surface figure was 0.037λ after the thermal-vacuum test. Then, the 1.0 m aperture brazed mirror was performed vibration test, and surface figure was 0.036λ after the vibration test. Finally, the brazed mirror of 100 mm aperture was carried out anti-radiation test in order to evaluate the effect of high energy rays on the reflectivity of the brazed mirror, and the experiment showed that the reflectivity of the brazed mirror after coating kept basically constant after ⁶⁰Co γ ray radiation. The environmental simulation tests indicated that the brazed mirrors have better engineering applicability.