Low Cost Molded Optics for Small Caliber Projectiles

This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a manufacturing method of molded glass optical ogive for the Light Fighter Lethality Projectile, a small caliber-maneuvering projectile. Low cost chalcogenide glasses will be used, which exhibit an excellenttransmission in the 7 to 14 mm wavelength region and suitable thermal and mechanical properties for direct molding lens fabrication. Molded optics provides the required target transmission characteristics and the manufacturing cost savings not possiblewith conventional grinding process. Lens with diffractive structure will be employed to compensate the chromatic aberration of chalcogenide glasses. Support structure of the optical components will be designed based upon the tolerance analysis ofinstalling and aligning of the optical system. In Phase I program a chalcogenide glass meniscus lens will be molded. The surface quality and the size of the lens will be characterized in order to correlate the relationship between the resulted lens qualityand the molding parameters. In Phase II we will also develop new materials, which exhibit superior performance to currently available materials, to improve their mechanical properties and resistance to thermal-shock. This low cost, molded optic infraredlens is applicable to both military and non-military optical systems. This low-cost manufacturing method can dramatically reduce the cost of high quality infrared lenses, which are needed for military and civil infrared imaging systems.