Abstract

Chemical Vapour Deposited (CVD) diamond growth technology has improved to the point where complete diamond infrared domes are now a possibility. However there are still considerable barriers to be overcome to ensure that the erosion resistance of the synthetic material is comparable to that of natural diamond. The Cavendish laboratory uses two systems to assess the erosion resistance of materials. The sand erosion rig uses compressed air to accelerate 300-600 μm sand particles to velocities up to ca. 250 ms^-1. The rain erosion resistance of a sample is evaluated using high velocity jets designed to simulate the effects of spherical raindrop impact. Both techniques have revealed the unique erosion characteristics of CVD diamond.

© 1995 Optical Society of America