Internal Gain Drift Photodetector Based Anger Camera

65402 Silicon-carbide-fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) composites are leading candidates for structural applications in fusion reactors. However, current methods of manufacturing SiC/SiC composites are slow and costly, and do not produce materials with the required through-thickness thermal conductivity. Simple methods of attaching SiC/SiC composites to supporting metal structures are also lacking. This project will use high frequency microwave heating, supplied by a gyrotron, to quickly produce SiC/SiC with crystalline matrices without degrading the reinforcing fiber. The crystalline matrix will provide improved thermal conductivity, which will be further enhanced by carefully designing the fiber reinforcement architecture. The heating method will also allow certain metal features, such as low-activation attachment lugs, to be processed as an integral part of the SiC/SiC composite. Phase I will demonstrate, the ability to produce crystalline matrix SiC/SiC composites through gyrotron heating and the ability to co-process integral vanadium alloy features. The mechanical properties of the SiC/SiC composites will be determined, along with the effect of neutron irradiation on the composite microstructure. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by awardee: A wide variety of potential applications exist for continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic composites (CFCCs) in general and SiC/SiC composites in particular. These applications range from aerospace turbine engines to incinerators. The reason that the market for CFCCs has not yet developed is that their cost, which is a direct result of current processing methods, is too high to compete with existing metal systems