Analysis of Novel, Low Stress Chemical Vapor Composite Silicon Carbide for Optical Applications

The proposed program will seek to assess the viability of silicon carbide deposited via Trex's chemical vapor composite (CVC) method for use in ballistic missile defense optics. The Phase I program will conduct thorough material analysis on CVC SiC coupons to characterize the key thermal and mechanical properties of interest for optical applications. These data will then be used to model CVC SiC performance in the optical telescope model, e.g., in the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV). The results for this analysis will identify the specific components that show promising performance when made using CVC SiC. The ultimate goal will be to satisfy the need for a robust manufacturing process for optical systems by capitalizing on the CVC SiC numerous advantages: (1) low residual stress, (2) thermal & mechanical stability (3) polishability, (4) rapid fabrication and (5) scalability.