Abstract
Full-aperture polishing is a significant process in fabricating large optical flats because it restrains Mid-Spatial Frequency errors and removes material quickly on the whole optic surface. Nevertheless, optical flats fabricated by full-aperture polishing generally fail to meet the stringent requirement of surface figure, which has to be corrected by sub-aperture polishing processes. Surface figure of optical flats in full-aperture polishing processes is primarily dependent on the pressure distribution uniformity which correlates intensively with the lap shape. At present, practical and precise means are urgently desired for measuring and correcting the lap shape, especially the polyurethane pad lap. In the study, we present a novel method for deterministic measurement of the pad shape. The method obtains the height of the pad at spirally distributed locations implemented by the revolution of the pad and translation of the laser displacement sensor. The pad shape in terms of matrixes whose elements representing the heights at the corresponding locations is then calculated by interpolation algorithm based on the obtained data. Further, we propose a method for deterministic correction of the pad shape utilizing a small conditioning tool. The dwell time algorithm and implementation strategy for the dwell time are provided for common full-aperture polishers. These solutions for the deterministic measurement and correction of the pad shape have been validated on a full-aperture polisher with polyurethane pad. The polishing experiments revealed that the optic surface figure was obviously improved.
Highlights
Large optical flats are key components used in interferometers, high-power lasers, telescopes and lithography lens
Optical flats fabricated by fullaperture polishing processes hardly meet the specification of surface figure, which has to be subsequently corrected with sub-aperture polishing processes
Sub-aperture polishing processes are characterized by a small tool whose dwell time map on the optic is implemented by computer control, they are known as computer controlled optical surfacing (CCOS)
Summary
Large optical flats are key components used in interferometers, high-power lasers, telescopes and lithography lens. Promoting the full-aperture polishing processes to get a much higher precision surface figure of optical flats will bring several advantages. Under this condition, material removal in CCOS will be greatly reduced, and the mid-spatial frequency error introduced in CCOS will be restrained. In practical full-aperture polishing processes, flatness of the pad is always desired for promotion of the optic surface figure. The disadvantages of these methods lie in: (1) There is no method for measuring the pad shape, which is usually speculated based on the surface figure of the polished optics; (2) The planarization of the polyurethane pad by conditioner disc oscillating on the pad is difficult to achieve by the large diamond conditioner disc.
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