System, method, and apparatus for conversion bonding of precursor subcomponents into a unitary monolith

Abstract

A process for converting precursor objects into a unitary ceramic object produces, for example, a ceramic, optical scan mirror that is formed from at least two pieces. An optical section has at least one optical surface and at least one attachment surface, and a support section has at least one attachment surface and preferably has a mounting area. The optical and support sections are formed as separate pieces from a precursor material, such as graphite, such that a selected support section can receive any of a plurality of optical sections having different sizes, shapes, or orientations. To form the mirror, the attachment surfaces are placed adjacent each other, and then the sections are converted simultaneously to a ceramic material, such as silicon carbide, to form a monolithic scan mirror.

1 . An optical scan mirror formed of a ceramic material, the scan mirror comprising: 
 an optical section having at least one optical surface and at least one attachment surface;    a support section having at least one attachment surface;    the optical section and the support section being formed as separate pieces from a precursor material; and    the optical section and the support section are converted to a ceramic material, the attachment surface of the optical section being placed adjacent the attachment surface of the support section prior to conversion, the conversion joining the sections to form a monolithic scan mirror.    
   
   
       2 . The scan mirror of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the precursor material is graphite; and    the ceramic material is silicon carbide.    
   
   
       3 . The scan mirror of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the support section is adapted to receive the optical section in multiple orientations; and    a size of the optical section is selected from a plurality of optional sizes.    
   
   
       4 . The scan mirror of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the support section has a central axis that is parallel to a plane of the optical surface; and    the support section is adapted to be mounted for rotation of the scan mirror about the central axis.    
   
   
       5 . The scan mirror of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 alignment means for aligning the optical section to the support section in a selected orientation.    
   
   
       6 . The scan mirror of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the alignment means comprises parallel rails formed on the attachment surface of the optical section.    
   
   
       7 . A method of forming an optical scan mirror for an end-user application, the method comprising: 
 (a) providing a plurality of optical sections formed from a precursor material and having selected shapes and sizes, each optical section having at least one optical surface and at least one attachment surface;    (b) providing a plurality of support sections formed from a precursor material and having selected shapes and sizes, each support section having at least one attachment surface;    (c) selecting one of the optical sections and one of the support sections according to an end-user application;    (d) assembling the selected optical section with the selected support section in a selected orientation, the attachment surface of the optical section being adjacent the attachment surface of the support section; and then    (e) converting the precursor materials of both the optical section and the support section of the assembly into a ceramic material, the optical section and the support section being bonded into a unitary scan mirror, which is formed as a monolithic structure.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the precursor materials are graphite; and    the ceramic material is silicon carbide.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 (f) polishing the optical surface to a mirror finish.    
   
   
       10 . A method of forming a monolithic structure of a ceramic material, the method comprising: 
 (a) forming a first component from graphite, the first component having at least one surface and at least one attachment surface;    (b) forming a second component from graphite, the second component having at least one attachment surface;    (c) assembling the first component with the second component in a selected orientation, the attachment surface of the first component being adjacent the attachment surface of the second component;    (d) converting the graphite in both the first component and the second component into silicon carbide, the first component and the second component being bonded into a unitary object, which is formed as a monolithic structure.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 (e) polishing the optical surface to a mirror finish.