ZERODUR: a glass-ceramic material enabling optical technologies [Invited]

Abstract

The key-feature of ZERODUR as a glass-ceramic material which enables various optical technologies is the nearest-zero expansion. This unique property is based on the thermal expansion characteristic of a negative expansion phase consisting of nano-sized crystals, which turns the class of lithium aluminosilicate (LAS)-glass-ceramics to a state-of-the-art transparent nanomaterial. Some insight is given in the origin and design of this key-property as well as the resulting fit to the requests of various optical technology devices ranging back from 1960s up today without limits insight.