Method for producing a mirror from a titanium-based material, and a mirror made from such a material

• US 20060063474A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diehl BGT Defence GmbH & Company KG (Diehl VA Systeme Stiftung & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Diehl BGT Defence GmbH & Company KG (Diehl VA Systeme Stiftung & Company KG)
• Inventors: Fisch, Peter Gerd, Betz, Thomas, Bross, Dirk, Knapp, Klaus-Dieter, Gaiser, Alfred, Dittler, Anton, Marquardt, Hans-Georg, Baumgart, Jorg
• Granted Patent: US 7,476,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 451/41
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/015 of television picture tube viewing panels, headlight reflectors or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12993 Surface feature [e.g., rough, mirror]

Abstract

A method for producing a mirror (10) from a titanium-based material by using the technique of ultraprecision machining. The mirror produced using this method has both a shape accuracy and a surface roughness in the submicrometer region. The mirror (10) is made from a titanium-based material having a shape accuracy and a surface roughness in the submicrometer region, whose basic shape (11) has a has a reflecting surface (12) having a surface roughness of less than 60 nm, and in particular of less than 30 nm.

Claims

1. Method for producing a mirror (10) from a titanium-based material having a shape accuracy and having a surface roughness in the submicrometer region by using the technique of ultraprecision machining, comprising utilizing ultraprecision machining to produce a prescribed basic shape (11) from the material, and reducing the surface roughness and producing a reflecting surface (12) the basic shape (11) is polished with a polishing body that has a lesser hardness than the material, whereby the shape accuracy is retained.

2. Method according to claim 1, is selectively producing a spherical or aspheric basic shape (11) by ultraprecision machining.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein during polishing the polishing body is wiped over the basic shape (11).

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein during polishing of the basic shape (11) the polishing body exerts substantially the same contact pressure at each site.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein said polishing is performed by a flexible membrane which is adapted to the basic shape (11) and on which the polishing body is arranged.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the polishing is executed in a number of stages having different polishing agents in each case.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein there is employed a material made from a titanium/aluminium alloy.

7. Method according to claim 7, wherein the graininess of the polishing agents used decreases from stage to stage.

9. Mirror (10) made from a titanium-based material having a shape accuracy and having a surface roughness in the submicrometer region, said mirror having a basic shape (11) with a reflecting surface (12) that has a surface roughness of less than 60 nm.

10. Mirror (10) according to claim 9, wherein the material is a titanium/aluminium alloy.

11. Mirror (1)) according to claim 9, wherein the reflecting surface (12) has a surface roughness of less than 30 nm.