Microstructure Technology for Fabrication of Metal-Mesh Grids
Abstract
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.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA461918
Entities
People
- Howard A. Smith
- Jacqueline Fischer
- Julius Grossman
- Martin Peckerar
- Matthew A. Greenhouse
- Milton Rebbert
- Peter Isaacson
Organizations
- Smithsonian Institution