Precise Refractive Index Measurement Device (PRIM)

To address the US Army call for development of an apparatus and process for certification of the refractive index (RI) of infrared (IR) transparent optical materials, Hedgefog Research Inc. (HFR) proposes to develop a Precision Refractive Index Measurement (PRIM) device to certify the RI of unpolished optical blanks of IR transparent materials at wavelengths from 3.5-12.0 ?m at temperatures from -40° to 71°C. PRIM device will determine a material’s wavelength- and temperature-dependent RI quickly and reliably, as well as certify the blank’s RI for correspondence to a known etalon. In Phase I HFR will design and fabricate a laboratory prototype of the PRIM device. A fully functional prototype of PRIM will be developed and produced in Phase II.