REFLECTIVE PLASTIC OPTICS WITH IMPROVED OPTICAL PROPERTIES

• Main Authors: TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER D, KLAPPER, STUART H
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 30.01.1995
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR,STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

16 REFLECTIVE PLASTIC OPTICS WITH IMPROVED OPTICAL PROPERTIES Novel mirror materials and fabrication processes are used to produce extremely low cost reflective optical components. Reflective mirrors are made using injection molded filled plastic. Reinforcing filler materials are added to the plastic resin prior to molding. Subsequent to injection molding, the plastic mirrors are coated with alumi-number other infrared reflective coating by means of vacuum deposition, for example, to produce a reflective surface. Additives or external metallization provide for control of thermal conductivity. The mirrors produced in accordance with the present invention may be used for 8-12 or 3-5 micron infrared imaging. However, the present plastic mirrors, when appropriately coated, may also be used in other wavelength bands. By employing the principles of the present invention, low cost mirrors with improved thermal stability and optical quality are achieved. The principle advantage of the present invention is a dramatic reduction in cost possible over reflective elements manufactured using conventional precision optical fabrication methods. The present mirrors have improved optical properties, primarily mirror figure and thermal stability.