DIAMOND COATINGS FOR INFRARED MATERIAL

MATERIALS WHICH ARE TRANSPARENT IN THE INFRARED AT 8-12UM AND CURRENTLY USED FOR HIGH VELOCITY MISSILE RADOMES ARE SUBJECTED TO ABRASION AND EROSION IN FLIGHT BECAUSE OF ATMOSPHERIC PARTICLES AND WATER DROPLETS. IN CONTRAST, DIAMOND FILM DEPOSITED BY PLASMA ENHANCED CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (PECVD) HAS BOTH EXCELLENT INFRARED AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PECVD DIAMOND TECHNOLOGY SHOW PROMISE OF DRAMATICALLY EXTENDING IT TO APPLICATIONS INVOLVING DIFFICULT SUBSTRATES AND LARGER DEPOSITION AREAS. PHASE I OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM CONSISTS OF A STUDY OF ALTERNATE METHODS OF COATING CURRENTLY USED INFRARED DOME MATERIALS WITH PECVD DIAMOND, METHODS OF PRODUCING FREE STANDING DIAMOND DOMES, AND METHODS OF FABRICATING DIAMOND DOMES THAT ARE PARTIALLY MECHANICALLY SUPPORTED. DURING PHASE I, A DEVELOPMENT PATH FOR DIAMOND RADOMES WILL BE RECOMMENDED, AND A PHASE II PROPOSAL WILL BE SUBMITTED WHICH TAKES THE RECOMMENDED EXPERIMENTAL COURSE.