Sebastian Scheiding

Freeform manufacturing of a microoptical lens array on a steep curved substrate by use of a voice coil fast tool servo

We report what is to our knowledge the first approach to diamond turn microoptical lens array on a steep curved substrate by use of a voice coil fast tool servo. In recent years ultraprecision machining has been employed to manufacture accurate optical components with 3D structure for beam shaping, imaging and nonimaging applications. As a result, geometries that are difficult or impossible to manufacture using lithographic techniques might be fabricated using small diamond tools with well defined cutting edges. These 3D structures show no rotational symmetry, but rather high frequency asymmetric features thus can be treated as freeform geometries. To transfer the 3D surface data with the high frequency freeform features into a numerical control code for machining, the commonly piecewise differentiable surfaces are represented as a cloud of individual points. Based on this numeric data, the tool radius correction is calculated to account for the cutting-edge geometry. Discontinuities of the cutting tool locations due to abrupt slope changes on the substrate surface are bridged using cubic spline interpolation.When superimposed with the trajectory of the rotationally symmetric substrate the complete microoptical geometry in 3D space is established. Details of the fabrication process and performance evaluation are described.

Development of a low cost high precision three-layer 3D artificial compound eye.

Artificial compound eyes are typically designed on planar substrates due to the limits of current imaging devices and available manufacturing processes. In this study, a high precision, low cost, three-layer 3D artificial compound eye consisting of a 3D microlens array, a freeform lens array, and a field lens array was constructed to mimic an apposition compound eye on a curved substrate. The freeform microlens array was manufactured on a curved substrate to alter incident light beams and steer their respective images onto a flat image plane. The optical design was performed using ZEMAX. The optical simulation shows that the artificial compound eye can form multiple images with aberrations below 11 μm; adequate for many imaging applications. Both the freeform lens array and the field lens array were manufactured using microinjection molding process to reduce cost. Aluminum mold inserts were diamond machined by the slow tool servo method. The performance of the compound eye was tested using a home-built optical setup. The images captured demonstrate that the proposed structures can successfully steer images from a curved surface onto a planar photoreceptor. Experimental results show that the compound eye in this research has a field of view of 87°. In addition, images formed by multiple channels were found to be evenly distributed on the flat photoreceptor. Additionally, overlapping views of the adjacent channels allow higher resolution images to be re-constructed from multiple 3D images taken simultaneously.

Development, fabrication, and testing of an anamorphic imaging snap-together freeform telescope

The fabrication chain for the development of an afocal all aluminum telescope using four anamorphic aspherical mirrors is described. The optical and mechanical design are intended to achieve an enhanced system integration with reduced alignment effort by arranging two optical surfaces monolithically on common mirror bodies. Freeform machining is carried out by a hybrid fabrication approach combining diamond turning and diamond milling in the same machine setup. A direct figure correction of diamond turned aluminum mirrors by magnetorheological finishing is presented, resulting in high-precision athermal mirror modules with excellent figure properties. The interferometric system test highlights the diffraction limited telescope performance and the feasibility of the chosen approaches for freeform machining and mechanical integration.

Fabrication of high precision metallic freeform mirrors with magnetorheological finishing (MRF)

The fabrication of complex shaped metal mirrors for optical imaging is a classical application area of diamond machining techniques. Aspherical and freeform shaped optical components up to several 100 mm in diameter can be manufactured with high precision in an acceptable amount of time. However, applications are naturally limited to the infrared spectral region due to scatter losses for shorter wavelengths as a result of the remaining periodic diamond turning structure. Achieving diffraction limited performance in the visible spectrum demands for the application of additional polishing steps. Magnetorheological Finishing (MRF) is a powerful tool to improve figure and finish of complex shaped optics at the same time in a single processing step. The application of MRF as a figuring tool for precise metal mirrors is a nontrivial task since the technology was primarily developed for figuring and finishing a variety of other optical materials, such as glasses or glass ceramics. In the presented work, MRF is used as a figuring tool for diamond turned aluminum lightweight mirrors with electroless nickel plating. It is applied as a direct follow-up process after diamond machining of the mirrors. A high precision measurement setup, composed of an interferometer and an advanced Computer Generated Hologram with additional alignment features, allows for precise metrology of the freeform shaped optics in short measuring cycles. Shape deviations less than 150 nm PV / 20 nm rms are achieved reliably for freeform mirrors with apertures of more than 300 mm. Characterization of removable and induced spatial frequencies is carried out by investigating the Power Spectral Density.

A novel athermal approach for high-performance cryogenic metal optics

This paper describes a new athermal approach for high performance metal optics, particularly with regard to extreme environmental conditions as they usually may occur in terrestrial as well as in space applications. Whereas for mid infrared applications diamond turned aluminium is the preferred mirror substrate, it is insufficient for the visual range. For applications at near infrared wavelengths (0.8 μm - 2.4 μm) as well as at on cryogenic temperatures (-200°C) requirements exist, which are only partially met for diamond turned substrates. In this context athermal concepts such as optical surfaces with high shape accuracy and small surface micro-roughness without diffraction effect and marginal loss of stray light, are of enormous interest. The novel, patented material combination matches the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) of an aluminium alloy with high silicon content (AlSi, Si ≥ 40 %) as mirror substrate with the CTE of the electroless nickel plating (NiP). Besides the harmonization of the CTE (~ 13 * 10-6 K-1), considerable advantages are achieved due to the high specific stiffness of these materials. Hence, this alloy also fulfils an additional requirement: it is ideal for the manufacturing of very stable light weight metal mirrors. To achieve minimal form deviations occurring due to the bimetallic effect, a detailed knowledge of the thermal expansion behavior of both, the substrate and the NiP layer is essential. The paper describes the reduction of the bimetallic bending by the use of expansion controlled aluminium-silicon alloys and NiP as a polishing layer. The acquisition of CTE-measurement data, the finite elements simulations of light weight mirrors as well as planned interferometrical experiments under cryogenic conditions are pointed out. The use of the new athermal approach is described exemplary.

Fly-cutting and testing of freeform optics with sub-μm shape deviations

Optical designs in various applications profit from the increasing use of freeform elements. However, freeform optics always challenges the manufacturing process. The complexity of the fabrication derives from the missing symmetry in freeform surfaces. Ultra-precision machining is an appropriate method to realize complex optical freeforms. Surface deviations can be reduced in a deterministic process by a test and correction loop to achieve shapes with sub-μm deviations. But freeform elements do not only require the optical performance, they also depend on tight tolerances of the surface position with respect to reference structures. Due to the absence of rotation symmetry in freeform elements, all six degrees of freedom have to be constrained. Diamond machining allows to machine reference structures on the optical part. They can be used for alignment while testing or during the assembly processes. This paper shows a deterministic approach to manufacture optical freeform surfaces with sub-μm surface deviations by fly-cut-machining and servo assisted diamond turning. Reference structures are included at the edge of the element in order to support the following measurement and assembly processes. The reference structures are manufactured within the machining process of the optical surface. This procedure ensures tight tolerances between reference structures and optical surface /1/. The complex optical surface is measured with respect to the references with the tactile measurement system UA3P. The reference structures are used to locate the coordinate system of the element and hence to constrain the alignment parameter. After fitting the data, a revised tool-path is used to improve the shape deviation to sub-μm accuracies.

MERTIS: optics manufacturing and verification

The MERTIS reflective infrared optics can be beneficial implemented as diamond turned aluminium mirrors coated with a thin gold layer. The cutting processes allow the manufacturing of both, the optical surface and mechanical interfaces, in tight tolerances. This is one of the major advantages of metal optics and was consequently used for the MERTIS sensor head optics. This paper describes the entire process chain of the MERTIS spectrometer optics including the manufacturing methods for the mirrors and for the spherical grating, the coating with sputtered gold for infrared reflectivity as well as the alignment and the verification of the spectrometer optics.

ATHERMAL METAL OPTICS MADE OF NICKEL PLATED ALSI40

Metal optics is an inherent part of space instrumentation for years. Diamond turned aluminum (Al6061) mirrors are widely used for application in the mid- and near-infrared (mid-IR and NIR, respectively) spectral range. Aluminum mirrors plated with electroless nickel (NiP) expand the field of application towards multispectral operating instruments down to the ultraviolet wavelengths. Due to the significant mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between aluminum and NiP, however, this advantage occurs at the cost of bimetallic bending. Challenging requirements can be met by using bare beryllium or aluminum beryllium composites (AlBeMet) as a CTE tailored substrate material and amorphous NiP as polishable layer. For health reasons, the use of beryllium causes complications in the process chain. Thus, the beryllium approach is subjected to specific applications only. Metal optics has proven to be advantageous in respect of using conventional CNC and ultra-precision fabrication methods to realize complex and light-weighted instrument structures. Moreover, the mirror designs can be effectively optimized for a deterministic system assembly and optimization. Limitations in terms of dimensional stability over temperature and time are mainly given by the inherent material properties (figures of merit) of the substrate material in interaction with the polishing layer. To find an optimal compromise, a thermal matched aluminum-silicon alloy (silicon contents ≈ 40 wt%) plated with NiP (AlSi40/NiP ) was investigated in a joined project of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy MPIA and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF. The main tasks of the project were the minimization of the bimetallic bending, the development of reliable stabilizing and aging procedures, and the establishment of a proven fabrication method. This paper describes fundamental results regarding the optimization of the athermal material combination. Furthermore, the developed production chain for high quality freeform mirrors made of AlSi40/NiP is pointed out.

Anamorphotic telescope for earth observation in the mid-infrared range

In the framework of the “Earth Explorer” program, the European Space Agency had foreseen the PREMIER mission intended to monitor the three-dimensional distribution of trace gasses in the atmosphere.

Design and wafer-level replication of a freeform curvature for polymer-based electrostatic out-of-plane actuators

Abstract. The purpose of this paper is the fabrication, replication, and wafer-level imprinting of a polynomial curvature to enable the realization of an electrostatic out-of-plane zipper actuator with considerably altered and enhanced voltage versus deflection behavior. This is achievable only by changing silicon as established main material to a UV-curable polymer, while retaining the lithography-based fabrication technology. The basic concept of this actuator is explained, and with derived design rules, a finite element analysis is established to design an actuator with an integrated micro-mirror and 10-μm deflection at 60-V driving voltage. The diamond turning of the master mold and the wafer-level fabrication process of the polynomial curvature are explained in detail and realized by unconventional wafer-level imprinting of a UV-curable, nonconducting polymer. The experimental results of the deflection measurements show a deflection of the intended 10 μm at 200 V. This deviation in necessary driving voltage can be explained by fabrication-induced intrinsic stresses, which bend the actuator beams upward. This increases the gap between the electrodes, making it possible to achieve 26-μm deflection at 300 V. This paper finalizes with an illustration about the now possible designs for polymer-based electrostatic zipper actuators.