Sapphire composite lattices with ultrafast laser-tunable thermal expansion

Next generation space telescopes and instruments, such as those needed to directly image Earth-like planets orbiting Sun-like stars, increasingly rely on extreme dimensional stability. The stability of a space structure is directly tied to its constituent materials’ coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), elastic modulus, and creep rate. This research focuses on designing, building, and testing high-modulus composite materials whose CTE can be precisely and permanently adjusted after fabrication. Ultrafast lasers are used to bond composite layers together, and to tune the CTE by adjusting the layers’ stiffnesses. Ultra-stable composites may provide the extreme stability needed for future large space missions and reduce complexity of other systems such as thermal control.

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