To achieve optical quality, metal mirrors undergo rigorous post-fabrication treatments:
Metal mirrors serve as a critical alternative to traditional glass-based optics, offering unique advantages in mechanical stiffness, thermal conductivity, and lightweighting potential. This paper reviews the fundamental principles of metallic reflection, modern fabrication techniques such as additive manufacturing (AM), and their specialized applications in infrared imaging and space telescopes. MegaL – Mirror
: Silver is the most reflective across the visible spectrum (reflecting ~95% of light), followed by aluminum (~90%), copper, and gold. 2. Evolution of Manufacturing Techniques To achieve optical quality, metal mirrors undergo rigorous
: Most modern consumer mirrors are made via "silvering" (chemical deposition of silver on glass) or vacuum deposition of aluminum atoms in a sealed chamber. To achieve optical quality