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Where can I find (to purchase) some 99% reflective mirror...?

What I mean is, there is a special kind of mirror used in heliostats and solar collectors that is coated in a way that reflects 99.99% of visible light and infrared energy. I'm having a difficult time located such a product at retail, or even special order.

I am looking for pieces. Like (100) 2" x 2" and cannot seem to even get an idea of who sells heliostat parts and equipment...

Any help at all. Any reference would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

3 Answers

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  • Mez
    Lv 6
    9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    As soon as you expose 99.99% reflective mirrors to the atmosphere, their reflectivity plummets to 95% or so. Manufacture, storage and operation needs to be in a "clean room" environment or in the vacuum of space. These mirrors are not available to the general public. I suggest that you contact your local university physics department to get some leads as to where to get what you are after.

    Source(s): me
  • 9 years ago

    What you are asking for is a transmissivity

    t = ρ[2/(1+ρ)]² >/= 0.9999

    or

    r = (1 - t) = [(1 -ρ)/(1+ρ)]² < /= 0.0001 (=1/10000)

    where

    the ratio ρ of refractive indices of the medium (glass & coating added) to air, at normal incidence. Another pair of assumptions I made are that the coating is smoother, with 'rms' less than λ/4 at its lowest wavelength - for visible light it is λ/4 < 0.09 micron; and that it shouldn't absorb the light energy (that can be substantial only, if you point a laser beam).

    Solve this set and the ' ρ ' you get is the RI of the glass you seek. then search for such a glass. This is the simplistic solution. But if you have a multi-lense complicated system this design doesn't suffice.

  • The best coatings in astronomical telescope mirrors are more like 95% instead of 99.99%!

    Do a search for mirror aluminizing or mirror coating

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