Active cleaning techniques for removing contamination from optical surfaces in space

Research in developing an active cleaning technique for removing contaminants from optical surfaces in space is reported. In situ contamination/cleaning experiments were conducted on gold and platimum coated mirrors, which were contaminated by exposure to UV radiation in a 1,3, butadiene environment. Argon and oxygen plasma exposure cleaned the mirrors equally well. Silicone cleaning experiments were also conducted. Exposure of the contaminated mirrors to helium, oxygen, and hydrogen plasmas restored the reflectance at the shorter wavelengths and degraded it at the longer wavelengths.