Radiation Hardened Dark Coating for Stray Light Suppression in Optical Systems

ZeCoat Corporation will develop an x-ray hardened black coating technology for stray light suppression. The new coating will be designed for wavelengths between visible and the near-Infrared (NIR), and the coatings will be evaluated for durability in ground and space environments. The very thin, vacuum-deposited coating may be applied to almost any rigid or flexible vacuum compatible substrate such as, glass, beryllium, silicon carbide, metal foil, or KaptonTM film. Black coatings for stray light suppression are needed for optical sensors operating in space environments. Space-based systems must be designed for radiation tolerance to both natural radiation and man-made x-ray events. Existing blackening processes such as carbon nanotubes, black silicon, copper oxides, carbon-filled KaptonTM, and others, are not environmentally durable and are not hardened to x-ray events in space. Many of these three-dimensional surfaces are easily damaged by abrasion (creating particulate contamination), degrade in humidity during ground storage, or degrade in the high solar radiation environments of space. In this effort, we will create new materials and processes that alleviate these deficiencies. In Phase I, ZeCoat will manufacture black coatings over broad spectral bands covering the Visible to NIR. In Phase II, ZeCoat will make improvements to its motion-controlled coating technology to allow manufacture of the most demanding optical designs, which require layer thickness precision currently slightly beyond our capabilities. The best processes will be optimized for optical and x-ray hardness, applied to larger substrates and curved surfaces, and tested in x-ray environments at the Double-Eagle test facility (or equivalent). Approved for Public Release | 22-MDA-11215 (27 Jul 22)