The Thermal Expansion Properties of Ultra-Low Thermal Expansion Silica Glass Under Temperature Cycles and Irradiation

Our study examines the thermal performance and radiation tolerance of ultra-low thermal expansion silica glass made from SiO2-TiO2 binary components in a simulated space environment. The low coefficient of thermal expansion, thermal shock resistance, and solderability of this material make it an essential material for the fabrication of high-precision optical components. Thermal expansion coefficients of ultra-low levels allow consistency of imaging quality regardless of temperature fluctuations in fluctuating thermal environments. A gamma radiation environment was simulated to assess the material's resistance to ionizing radiation in space and the thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of the material after 30 temperatures cycling from −65 ℃ to 175 ℃. After temperature cycling, the TEC of the material did not change significantly, and after radiation exposure of 105 Gy the TEC remained stable. It is clear from this result that the ultra-low thermal expansion silica glass performs well under extreme conditions and meets stringent space application reliability standards. Due to these results, a future space optical system could be designed with ultra-low thermal expansion silica glass.