THE INTERNATIONAL X-RAY OBSERVATORY (IXO) IS DUE TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2021. THE CORE OF THE INSTRUMENT IS A VE…

Public award description

THE INTERNATIONAL X-RAY OBSERVATORY (IXO) IS DUE TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2021. THE CORE OF THE INSTRUMENT IS A VERY LARGE (3.2 METER DIAMETER) WOLTER I OPTIC, TO BE ASSEMBLED FROM APPROXIMATELY 13,000 INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS. EACH ELEMENT WILL, IN TURN, BE CREATED BY 'SLUMPING' GLASS OVER A PRECISION MANDREL, OF WHICH THERE MUST BE IN EXCESS OF 700. IN ADDITION TO THE VERY LARGE SIZE OF THE MANDRELS (UP TO 1.6 METER RADIUS), FIGURE AND SIZE TOLERANCES ARE EXCEEDINGLY TIGHT, RANGING FROM 2 NANOMETERS (AXIAL FIGURE) TO 200 NANOMETERS (RADIUS VARIATION). THE COMBINATION OF SIZE, ACCURACIES, PRODUCTION RATE REQUIREMENTS AND THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT DESIGNS DEFY STANDARD OPTICAL METROLOGY TECHNIQUES. WHILE POLISHING EQUIPMENT THAT CAN MEET THESE TOLERANCES EXISTS, THE POLISHERS MUST BE CONTROLLED BY CONTINUOUS OR NEAR CONTINUOUS (PROCESS INTERMITTENT) FEEDBACK. IN THIS EFFORT WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A UNIQUE "POINT-DEFINED" METROLOGY INSTRUMENT THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE POLISHING MACHINE ITSELF, TO CONTROL THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO THE REQUIRED LEVELS OF ACCURACY. IN PHASE 1 WE WILL DEVELOP CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS FOR BOTH STAND-ALONE AND ON-MACHINE INSTRUMENTATION. IN PHASE 2 WE WILL DEVELOP A STAND-ALONE METROLOGY INSTRUMENT, AND IN PHASE 3 WE WILL FULLY INCORPORATE THE TECHNOLOGY ONTO A COMMERCIAL POLISHING INSTRUMENT.