Fabrication Method for Large-area, Light-weight Optics
- Technology Benefits
- • Fast and cost-effective fabrication process • Light-weight, strong, low-thermal-expansion optical components • General applicability to optics with different structures and material compositions
- Detailed Technology Description
- Afast and cost-effective fabrication method for high-quality light-weight optics elementsused in astronomy optical and other commercial devices.#INSTRUMENTATION, #DEVICES, #CHEMICAL, #MATERIALS
- *Abstract
-
Northwesternresearchers developed a fast and cost-effective method for fabricatinglight-weight optics elements used in optical/IR telescopes and X-ray mirrors.Astronomy and space community necessitate large-area optical devices withhigh-performance, minimal mass and affordable fabrication techniques. Othercommercial optical devices composed of large numbers of segments also requirelight-weight elements with high-quality and low fabrication cost.Northwestern’s patented technology uses the electroform/plasma-spray techniqueas a novel replication and lamination process to satisfy this constant need. Inthis process, the plasma-spraying is directly applied on the metallic layerelectroformed on the master. This efficient process produces high-qualityoptics elements with mechanical strength at low cost. This process isapplicable to various layer structures, geometric configurations and materialcompositions. Process conditions can be easily tuned for optimal performance.
FigureElectroform/Plasma-Spray Laminates for optics elements. (a): Anillustration of electroform/plasma-spray laminates for high-qualitylight-weight optics (b): A line reflection in a 2-inch diameter flat made via plasmaspraying. (c): A free-standing cylinder of 1-inch diameter showing the plasmasprayed surface. (d): A complete cylinder-shaped optics elements fabricatedthrough the electroform/plasma-spray process.
- *Inventors
- MelvilleP. Ulmer*MichaelE. GrahamSemyonVaynman
- *Publications
- Ulmer MP, Graham ME, Vaynman S, Farber M, Echt JI, Varlese SJ, Emerson G, Baker D (2004) Advances in the use of plasma spraying for the fabrication of lightweight X-ray optics, Proc. SPIE 5533: 93-98.Ulmer MP, Altkorn R, Graham ME, Madan A, Chu YS (2003) Production andperformance of multilayer-coated conical x-ray mirrors, Appl. Opt., 42: 6945-6952.
- Country/Region
- USA
