Silicon Carbide Mirrors

• Company: Avantier Inc.
• Type: Mirrors
• Mirror Category: Other
• Applications: Astronomy, Industrial, Military
• Size: 25 mm – 800 mm
• Surface Shape: Flat, Sphere, Aspheric
• Surface Flatness: up to λ/100 RMS
• Coatings: Al, Ag, Au, Dielectric
• Applications: Telescopes, LaserScanning

Avantier specializes in producing custom silicon carbide (SiC) mirrors tailored to specific customer needs. These mirrors are ideal for applications such as large telescopes, high-speed scanning systems, and space missions.

Manufacturing of Silicon Carbide (SiC)

Three primary methods produce SiC for optical applications:

1. Reaction Bonding: A mixture of alpha SiC and carbon is cast and fired, then infiltrated with liquid silicon to form dense SiC. This cost-effective method is suitable for lightweight optical designs.

2. Sintering: SiC powder is sintered at temperatures above 2000°C with non-oxide additives in an inert atmosphere and high pressure. This method yields very hard ceramic suitable for optical mirrors but requires extensive machining to reduce surface roughness.

3. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD): Produces very pure SiC in a face-centered cubic crystal form, offering high thermal conductivity but at a higher cost.