I'm a machinist and I need to make a precision reflective surface, I can put a mirror on it, but I'm not sure how accurate it would be. But I know I can machine and grind a surface with a mirror finish. Will this be comparable to a mirror though?
2007-10-27 06:38:02 · 6 answers · asked by Ivan G 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Should work reasonably well when polished. Aluminum and silver work well, but almost any metal will reflect laser light well enough (though mild steel is fairly dark and will absorb some of the light).
The only reason they put glass in mirrors is to keep the silver (or aluminum) coating perfectly flat.
2007-10-27 06:47:15 · answer #1 · answered by Keith P 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It really depends on the wavelength of the laser you have in mind. Gold has the highest reflectivity of any metal across most of the visible and into the infrared. However, gold's reflectivity falls off in the blue--which is why it has it's characteristic color. Silver is nearly as good, though it tends to tarnish if not protected from oxidation.
Aluminum would be best only in the blue and ultraviolet and only in the case where you cannot protect from oxidation. Aluminum is significantly lower reflectivity than gold or silver over most of the visible (except the blue for gold). It is much lower than these two metals in the near infrared--say at 850 nm.
2007-10-28 15:18:55 · answer #2 · answered by Some One 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is probably no way you could machine a metal surface accurately enough, that it would have good optical quality. Even if it looked perfectly mirror-smooth to the eye, it would still contain slight "hills", and "valleys" that would distort the laser beam. This would become obvious if you tried to focus the laser to a point.
Why not just *buy* a good optical quality mirror? There are plenty of companies out there that make that sort of thing.
Good luck,
~W.O.M.B.A.T.
2007-10-27 07:13:12 · answer #3 · answered by WOMBAT, Manliness Expert 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most metals can be polished very smoothly. The key is a Low-thermal-expansion metal. Some mirrors used in military laser guidance systems are gold coated to prevent oxidation.
2007-10-27 07:45:18 · answer #4 · answered by Hgldr 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best polish you will get on bare metal is, Bronze. Chrome plated steel and stainless steels of some compositions can also be used.
2007-10-27 06:55:34 · answer #5 · answered by Pandian p.c. 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Yes. Aluminum is best.
2007-10-27 06:41:54 · answer #6 · answered by Thomas E 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋