A high temperature gas turbine component for use in the gas flow path that also
is a specular optical reflector. A thin layer of a high temperature reflector is
applied to the flow path surface 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. A thin layer of the high temperature reflector
then 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 high temperature reflector can be applied to any
surface aft of the compressor, such as on a combustor wall. The surface reflects
radiation back into the hot gas flow path. 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 rather than absorbed into a component
wall which only serves to increase the temperature of the wall.
