Large astronomical mirror coating systems

Coating large astronomical mirrors requires advanced equipment design and engineering coupled with precision vacuum technology. With its unique blend of skills and technology, Dynavac is recognized in the astronomical community as a trusted supplier of astronomical mirror coating systems for depositing high-reflectivity metals.

We’re proud to play a part in many prominent astronomy programs, including the U.S. Air Force and The Discovery Channel Telescope at The Lowell Observatory.

Proven designs and methods for coating front-surface telescope mirrors

Using proven chamber designs and deposition methods, our astronomical mirror coating deposition systems provide an automated and highly reliable process for coating mirrors with aluminum, protected aluminum, or protected silver coatings. Dynavac’s capabilities in this area include:

  • Turnkey design, construction, and commissioning across the globe
  • Sputtering and evaporation technologies
  • Standard and custom-engineered deposition source tooling
  • Coating uniformity better than +/-5% over the surface of the mirror
  • Conceptual design and process development services

Resources

Astronomy

EOS Large Astronomical Mirror Coating System Datasheet

Dynavac is the trusted leader in manufacturing systems for applying highly reflective coatings onto large astronomical telescope optics.

Astronomy

Dynavac Develops Multi-Layer Silver Coating for Astronomical Telescope Mirror at KAFB Facility

Dynavac has successfully developed and deposited a multi-layer silver coating onto a 3.5-meter astronomical mirror at the Air Force Research Lab’s Starfire Optical Range at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. This significant milestone is expected to establish a new industry standard in producing silver coatings for large-area mirror applications.

Astronomy

Eos Astronomical Mirror Deposition System Successfully Installed in Spain

Dynavac, the trusted leader in Astronomical Mirror Deposition Systems, is pleased to announce that it has successfully commissioned its flagship Eos System at the Observatorio Astrofisico de Javalambra (OAJ) in Teruel, Spain.

Astronomy

High reflectivity large scale telescope mirror coatings via long throw sputtering

Here we present reflectivity measurements of long-throw sputtered aluminum coatings at normal and oblique incidence angles on glass test chips. Experimental results indicate that water vapor partial pressure, not incident angle, is the dominant factor for front surface reflectivity of sputtered aluminum.

Astronomy

Dynavac co-sponsors historic First Light Gala Celebrating the Commissioning of the Discovery Channel Telescope

On July 21, 2012, Dynavac co-sponsored The First Light Gala, where the DCT was formally commissioned and the first images from the telescopes were unveiled to over 700 attendees. The Lowell Observatory described the gala as an historic event.

Astronomy

Dynavac's Optical Coating System Helps Capture "First Light" From Discovery Channel Telescope

Dynavac, a market leader in precision optical coating systems, engineered and manufactured the optical coating system for the Lowell Observatory’s newly commissioned flagship telescope: the Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT), the fifth largest optical telescope in the continental United States.

Menu