Nonspecular reflector with diffusely reflecting superconductor and protection coating

• US 5,300,487 A
• Filed: 12/30/1988
• Issued: 04/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Troy Investments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Troy Investments, Inc.
• Inventors: Hed, Aharon Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shafer, R. D.
• Application Number:
  US07/292,469
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 350/600, 350/609, 350/610, 350/641, 350/642, 505/1, 505/701, 505/702, 430/24, 359/599, 359/615, 359/838, 359/883
• US Class Current: 505/182
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0221 the surface having an irregular structure G02B5/0226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0284 used in reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 505/702 Josephson junction present

Abstract

A reflector has a body of a ceramic oxide superconductive material whose surface is treated to be diffusively reflective and is coated with diamond-like carbon or magnesium fluoride.

Claims

1. A reflector comprising a body of a ceramic oxide superconductive material which is superconductive at a temperature below a critical temperature and which is semiconductive or insulating at a temperature above said critical temperature, said critical temperature being a temperature above which said body is not superconducting and below which said body is superconducting, said body having a surface of said ceramic oxide superconductive material treated to be diffusely reflective and adapted to be disposed in a path of electromagnetic radiation to be reflected and of a wavelength longer than an optical binding energy of paired charge carriers of the superconductive ceramic oxide material and a protective coating of diamond-like carbon or magnesium fluoride on said body in said path.

2. The reflector defined in claim 1 wherein said body is a layer having a thickness greater than the electromagnetic field penetration depth of said superconductive ceramic oxide material and deposited upon a substrate.

3. The reflector defined in claim 2 wherein said substrate has a dulled surface upon which said layer of superconductive ceramic oxide material is deposited.

4. The reflector defined in claim 1 wherein said coating is diamond-like carbon.

5. The reflector defined in claim 1 wherein said surface is planar.

6. The reflector defined in claim 5 wherein said surface defines one reflective surface of a group of planar surfaces defining a corner of a cube.

7. The reflector defined in claim 1 wherein said surface is a curved surface.

8. The reflector defined in claim 7 wherein said surface forms at least a segment of a surface of revolution.