Additive Manufacturing of Inorganic Transparent Materials for Advanced Optics

The goal of the Phase I project is to demonstrate the feasibility of an AM process capable of depositing the required optical properties, full densification, and smooth surface finish through modeling the glass AM processing, developing the path planning for printing freeform optics, and evaluating the quality of the printed freeform optics with the proposed FFL . The specific objectives of the program are as follows: 1) Adapt current glass printing system for printing freeform transmissive and reflective geometries, including the inclusion of closed loop temperature/power control using a pyrometer and operate the system to map optimum parameters for transmissive optics with maximum transmission and index homogeneity; 2) Characterize the surface morphology as a function of process parameters, establishing basis functions for both deposition and laser reflow steps; 3) Model glass wire feeding system to identify the key parameters; 4) Design optimal path and process to create spherical and simple spherical and freeform topologies; and 5) Evaluate printed optics using interfermetric testing to determine surface error as well as optical homogeniety for transmissive and reflective optics including printed freeform demonstrator and characterize performance.