Hybrid Al/SiC Composite Optics for IFE Applications

Inertial Fusion (IFE) optics presents a unique challenge. Ghoniem provides a mirror design for such an application. The surface has been chosen to be metallic, because dielectric materials exhibit great sensitivity to the effects of ionizing radiation. The leading high reflectivity candidate materials are aluminum, magnesium, silver, gold and copper. To select between these metals the following criteria were used:

1) high reflectivity in the wavelength of interest

2) effects of radiation on absorptivity

3) surface temperature rise during the laser pulse

4) thermal fatigue resistance

5) radiation effects on surface deformation