A high temperature gas
turbine component for use in the gas flow path that comprises a specular optical reflector
coating system. A thin specular optical reflector
coating system is applied to the gas flow path of the component, that is, the surface of the component that forms a boundary for hot
combustion gases. The component typically includes a
thermal barrier coating overlying the high temperature metallic component that permits the component to operate at elevated temperatures. The
thermal barrier coating must be polished in order to provide a surface that can suitably reflect the
radiation into the gas flow path. The thin reflector
coating system comprises a thin high temperature and
corrosion resistant
refractory stabilizing layer, which is applied over a thin reflective
metal layer, which is applied over a thin high temperature and
corrosion resistant
refractory sealing layer. The
coating system is applied over the polished
thermal barrier coating by a process that can adequately adhere the reflector to the polished surface without increasing the roughness of the surface. The
coating system reflects
radiation back into the hot gas flow path or into the
atmosphere. The reflected
radiation is not focused onto any other hardware component. The design of the component is such that the radiation is returned to the gas flow path or sent to the
atmosphere rather than absorbed into a component that only serves to increase the temperature of such a component.