Are there other types of mirror besides the current security based ones?
I have investigated polished stainless steel mirrors, the trick with them is getting a good spherical shape and the cost is significantly higher. In the past I have investigated spray chromed mirrors, worked OK but were even more fragile than the current mirrors, an even protective coating was never perfected. Some have tried a “beryl” finish (beryllium aluminium cyclosilicate) but it is more expensive than the current solution.There is still scope in this area for improvement, if you think you have a means of creating better mirrors then please contact me. Note that at the moment the mirror quality is sufficient, the limitation is the delicacy of the surface. When considering a protective layer it needs to be very thin and applied very evenly otherwise caustics will occur.
I have investigated polished stainless steel mirrors, the trick with them is getting a good spherical shape and the cost is significantly higher. In the past I have investigated spray chromed mirrors, worked OK but were even more fragile than the current mirrors, an even protective coating was never perfected. Some have tried a “beryl” finish (beryllium aluminium cyclosilicate) but it is more expensive than the current solution. There is still scope in this area for improvement, if you think you have a means of creating better mirrors then please contact me. Note that at the moment the mirror quality is sufficient, the limitation is the delicacy of the surface. When considering a protective layer it needs to be very thin and applied very evenly otherwise caustics will occur.
