Microstructure Technology for Fabrication of Metal-Mesh Grids

Motivated by the need for highly efficient far-IR Fabry-Perot etalons for airborne and space astronomy, we have developed a high-yield photolithographic technique for producing low-loss metal-mesh reflectors. We describe the production technique and report on the mesh flatness and uniformity. Optica...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rebbert, Milton, Isaacson, Peter, Fischer, Jacqueline, Greenhouse, Matthew A, Grossman, Julius, Peckerar, Martin, Smith, Howard A
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ABSORPTION
ASTRONOMY
Cartography and Aerial Photography
FABRICATION
GRIDS
ISO(INFRARED SPACE OBSERVATORY)
LONG WAVELENGTHS
MEASUREMENT
Mechanics
MESH
METAL MESH REFLECTORS
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS
Optics
PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY
Radiofrequency Wave Propagation
REFLECTIVITY
REFLECTORS
SHORT WAVELENGTHS
SPACE ASTRONOMY
SPACE FLIGHT
STRENGTH(MECHANICS)
THICKNESS
WIRE
YIELD STRENGTH
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Description
Summary:Motivated by the need for highly efficient far-IR Fabry-Perot etalons for airborne and space astronomy, we have developed a high-yield photolithographic technique for producing low-loss metal-mesh reflectors. We describe the production technique and report on the mesh flatness and uniformity. Optical measurements of meshes produced by this technique show that absorptivity of less than 1% with reflectivity of more than 98% was achieved at the longest wavelengths measured, which proved them to be significantly more efficient than commercially available meshes. This process can achieve wire widths that are less than the mesh thicknesses (typically 3 micrometers), which extends their applicability to wavelengths as short as 20 micrometers without sacrificing mechanical strength for airborne and space-flight applications. Key words: Fabry-Perot, far-infrared, metal mesh, microstructure technology. Pub. in Applied Optics v33 n7 p1286-1292, 1 Mar 1994. Sponsored in part by the Office of Naval Research, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, grant NAGW-1711.