Abstract

Clear diamond windows with thicknesses up to 1 mm and diameters up to 6 cm have been produced. Several methods have been demonstrated for attaching thin diamond coatings to optical windows. Hemispheric diamond domes with thicknesses up to 1 mm and diameters of 60-75 mm have been grown and optical fabrication is in progress. In the 8-14 pm infrared region, the absorption coefficient is as low as 0.1 - 0.3 cm^-1, optical scatter is below 1%, and emissivity at 500°C is below 3%. Microwave dielectric properties, thermal properties, and most mechanical properties of chemical vapor-deposited diamond are equivalent to those of Type Ila natural diamond. The mechanical strength of 0.5 - 1 mm thick chemical-vapor-deposited diamond attained so far is an order of magnitude lower than that of natural diamond.

© 1995 Optical Society of America