Mirror Structures Made of Pyrolytic Graphite

Experiments have demonstrated the feasibility of making mirror structures that comprise a thin face plate of chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) pyrolytic graphite (PG) integrated with a thicker backing plate of CVD PG open-cell foam. The backing plate serves as a stiff structural support for the face plate, on which a precise mirror optical surface can then be formed. Lightweight, highly precise mirrors for telescopes (including telescopes in outer space) and for aiming laser beams could be fabricated following this approach.