On The Use Of Magnesium Alloys For Aerospace And Defense Mirrors

Extreme light-weighting is important in many aerospace and defense applications but the cost associated with beryllium or other exotic materials can be prohibitive. The current standard for producing cost effective, high performance mirrors is to diamond machine mirror blanks from aluminum alloy stock. About 80% material removal is the limit for geometrical lightweighting while still retaining the structural integrity required for optical fabrication. To reduce weight further requires alternative materials. This paper summarizes the status of diamond machined finishing and coating of magnesium alloys to produce cost effective, lightweight mirrors with high, broadband reflectivity and low scatter finish.