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Polished Light Pipes

I need to find a way to gold coat the INTERIOR surface of a hexagonal tube. I need an optical quality finish in order to homogenize Infrared light conducted by the tube (as a light guide). We have tried polishing aluminum rod stock and then coating and removing the aluminum, but this is too labor intensive for the quantities that we will need.

Robin Mcanally
- Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
2001

Have a hexagonal male mold made from 6061 Al, have it coated with electroless Ni which is then polished to the required finish. Put it in a vapor deposition system where each mold is rotated about its axis and vapor deposit gold onto it. Electroform Ni onto the gold, and remove the mold by either immersion in liquid N2 or by having a lengthwise slot in the mold so it can be slightly compressed. The gold stays on the outer optic if done right.

David OHara
- Tallahassee, Florida, USA
2001

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