SPACE-BASED OPTICAL COMPONENTS PROTECTION BY HARD ADHERENT DIAMOND COATINGS

COATINGS ARE NEEDED TO PROTECT FROM DAMAGE AND DETERIORATION THE LARGEVARIETY OF OPTICAL COMPONENTS WHICH WILL BE USED IN SPACE-BASED DEFENSE SYSTEMS. THESE COATINGS MUST BE TRANSPARENT FROM THE INFRAREDTO THE ULTRAVIOLET, HARD, RESISTANT TO EROSION BY ATOMIC OXYGEN AND BYPARTICLES, AND SURVIVABLE UNDER EXTREME TEMPERATURE CYCLING. THE TECHNOLOGY OF PLASMA-AIDED COATING IS BEING DEVELOPED TO APPLY THIN DIAMOND AND DIAMOND-LIKE PROTECTIVE COATINGS TO OPTICAL MATERIALS. THE BEST FEATURES OF PLASMA DEPOSITION PROCESSES ARE BEING COMBINED WITH THOSE OF ION-ASSISTED COATING TO CREATE COATINGS WHICH HAVE HIGH OPTICAL QUALITY AND ADHERE WELL TO ALMOST ANY SUBSTRATE. THE RELATIVEMERITS OF TWO METHODS FOR DEPOSITING DIAMOND COATINGS (PLASMA DEPOSITION AND ION BEAM DEPOSITION) ARE BEING EVALUATED. SUCCESSFUL COATINGS WILL BE ION IMPLANTED TO ENSURE GOOD ADHESION. THE CHEMISTRY, HARDNESS, AND SCRATCH-RESISTANCE OF THE COATINGS ARE BEING MEASURED. THE INITIAL EFFORT WILL ENABLE THE DETERMINATION OF WHICH OF THE DIAMOND DEPOSITION PROCESSES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN A LATER PHASE. THE RESULTS OF A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM WILL BE BROAD-BAND TRANSMITTING COATINGS WHICH WILL BE EXTREMELY HARD, CHEMICALLY STABLE,SCRATCH-RESISTANT, AND APPLICABLE TO ALMOST ANY OPTICAL COMPONENT.