McCarter Frit Bonding Method

Over the last decade, McCarter had developed and demonstrated their proprietary frit bonding method which has enabled the production of complex and/or ultra-large SCSi components that are scalable and modular.

Frit, being a mixture of different elements melted, shattered, and ground into a powder, is used to control glasses and their bond ability.  We have selected special mixtures customized to the application for close matching.  Frit is stronger and more optically stable than other bonding techniques and is able to withstand extreme temperatures and vibrations. 

McCarter has demonstrated their proprietary frit bonding as a viable and stable process for SCSi components that are integrated into each other, mounted directly onto metal substrates, built with geometric complexities, and without the previous 300mm size limitation.  

In order to establish  the strength property of frit bonded SCSi, we conducted a four point bend bar test using sample bend bars manufactured in the 100 direction according to MIL-STD 1942 (MR). The results of the testing can be found in by following the link to our Technical Papers, "Frit Bonding - A Way to Larger More Complex Silicon Components".     

With frit bonding, we have overcome the current 300mm size limitation of SCSi boules.  We accomplished this by bonding together smaller planks of SCSi material and then finishing to size.  As shown below, the twenty-two inch diameter component was manufactured by frit-bonding nine SCSi planks together, after which, the piece was manufactured as if it were monolithic.