Laser polishes silica micro-optic components

Aug. 1, 2006
Although much research has been performed on the use of carbon-dioxide (CO2) lasers for polishing glass and fused-silica bulk optics, researchers in the Department of Physics at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, England) have demonstrated, for what they believe to be the first time, efficient surface polishing of fused-silica micro-optic components.

Although much research has been performed on the use of carbon-dioxide (CO2) lasers for polishing glass and fused-silica bulk optics, researchers in the Department of Physics at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, England) have demonstrated, for what they believe to be the first time, efficient surface polishing of fused-silica micro-optic components.

Well-controlled pulses from a planar-waveguide CO2 laser with a wavelength of 10.59 µm-guided by an x-y translation stage-are delivered to the optical surface in two phases: a preheating pulse, followed by a train of pulses with an adjustable duty cycle over the remaining pulse length. The preheating pulse provides a laser-induced surface-temperature increase to melt the silica surface and initiate surface-tension-driven mass flow, while the subsequent polishing pulses control the surface temperature to avoid a loss of material by evaporation with no cracking. Optimization of pulse delivery allows for reduction of micron-scale surface roughness to below 1 nm while preserving the shape of the micro-optic component. In related work, the researchers have also developed a laser-machining technique for the fabrication of custom micro-optic elements. Contact Krzysztof Nowak at[email protected].

Editor’s note: This is a corrected version of a newsbreak that appeared in April 2006 LFW with technical errors.

Sponsored Recommendations

March 31, 2025
Enhance your remote sensing capabilities with Chroma's precision-engineered optical filters, designed for applications such as environmental monitoring, geospatial mapping, and...
March 31, 2025
Designed for compatibility with a wide range of systems, Chroma's UV filters are engineered to feature high transmission, superior out-of-band blocking, steep edge transitions...
March 31, 2025
Discover strategies to balance component performance and system design, reducing development time and costs while maximizing efficiency.
March 31, 2025
Explore the essential role of optical filters in enhancing Raman spectroscopy measurements including the various filter types and their applications in improving signal-to-noise...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!