Closed-Loop Fabrication of Free-Form Optics

To meet the need of the Navy in fabrication and measurement of conformal windows such as toroidal to precise optical tolerances from ceramic materials, Applied Science Innovations (ASI) proposes development of the Closed-Loop Fabrication of Free-Form Optics (CLF3O), building directly on ASI’s successful development of a new tool for metrology on conformal aspheric domes and corrector optics. The proposed CLF3O system is a modular attachment for integrating a standard commercial interferometer with an existing optical fabrication tool. Proposed measurement and processing will ensure precise determination of location and orientation of the window being fabricated and tested, in addition to measurement of the optical figure of both surfaces. The proposed CLF3O attachment will enable one iterative procedure of fabrication and measurement, in which the part will remain in place until finished to specification. Phase I will focus on the optomechanical design of the modular attachment for integration with both a fabrication machine and a standard interferometer, and on application-specific processing algorithms. In Phase II, the tool will be installed in one of the manufacturing facilities to produce a window with the shape selected in agreement with the Government and the dimensions on the order of 200 x 200 mm.