Metallic Grid Application for Green Ceramic Domes

Multimode seekers are receiving significant attention as a way to provide more capability in the same package. In some cases, laser, optical and millimeter wave sensors are being combined in a way that requires a common aperture. The requirements for such a system place a tremendous burden on the design and production of such a dome. In the phase I program, Surmet has developed and demonstrated a method to incorporate patterned, conductive metal grid within the dome material itself. The so called co-fired approach, of burying a metal ink pattern within a green ceramic prior to firing, results in an affordable path to manufacture very large numbers of domes with embedded grids. Surmet is in the process of delivering few fabricated domes as program deliverables. In the Phase II program, Surmet proposes to address several existing challenges in fabricating a fully functional JAGM dome. Surmet will refine the toolpaths and controls to direct-write grids from improved nano-metal ink on green machined JAGM dome blanks. Surmet will also demonstrate capabilities to fabricate the gridded domes to the required specifications and optical properties. At the conclusion of the program, a scalable pre-pilot fabrication process for gridded ALON/Spinel domes will be demonstrated.