SBIR-STTR Award

Byelocorp Scientific, Inc. is proposing the development of an innovative computer-controlled finishing technique in cooperation with the Center for Optics Manufacturing as defined in their TRP Technology Development Proposal for the manufacture oof high precision optical components that will eliminate the need for specialized tooling, highly skilled craftsmen, and iterative and expensive polishing techniques. This new optical finishing process will make use of magnetorheological fluids, and "intelligent" medium with controllable properties which are capable of creating superior finishing results for spheres and, in particular, aspheres. Magnetorheological fluids undergo rapid and reversible changes in their rheological properties (viscosity, elasticity, and plasticity) in the presence of a magnetic field. The ability to control the magnetorheological fluid allows a controllable and compliant lap to replace the fixed, rigid lap used in the current process. This new finishing process offers several advantages heretofore unavailable in the precision optics industry. The process is computer controlled and does not require specialized tooling. This makes the process perfectly suited for rapid prototyping, complex optical geometries and finishing problems. Magnetorheological finishing will be used to perform polishing and final figuring on Opticam generated spherical and aspheric optics. Anticipated

Benefits:
Magnetorheological finishing will allow the optics industry to cost-effectively produce: pristine optical surface finishes, form, and figure, superior to anything available today; aspheric, toroidal and cylindrical optics available in production quantities at reasonable cost; laser and x-ray optics, conformal optics of any geometry for flat panel displays, high definition television (HDTV), etc.

Keywords:
PRECISION OPTICS, MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS, FINISHING

Phase I, Byelocorp Scientific, Inc. (BSI) developed a set of operational parameters for the magnetic rheological finishing (MRF) process and successfully demonstrated MRF's capability to predictably fabricate precision optics with high quality surface figure and finish, while eliminating subsurface damage. The Phase I work was directed at fundamental process capability and clearly demonstrated correction of rotationally symmetric aberrations such as power and spherical aberration. The next essential advancement for MRF is to produce high precision aspheric optics, where overall figure requirements do not permit symmetric, asymmetric, or mid-spatial frequency figure errors. The Phase II program focuses on the development and implementation of methodologies to correct non-rotationally symmetric low order aberrations such as astigmatism, coma and trefoil, as well as midfrequency, waviness of deterministically microground surfaces. The Phase II work will require: 1) advanced control strategies, 2) process modeling, and 3) system level enhancements for asphere production. Existing manufacturing techniques for precision glass asphere are costly, unpredictable and unreliable. The use of glass aspheres in optical systems is therefore unattractive, despite their inherent advantages. MRF, a computer controlled process, will significantly reduce the cost to fabricate aspheres predictably and reliably, creating a tremendous demand to incorporate these components into current and new products. The MRF process will serve as the basis for a commercial line of precision finishing equipment to enable reliable and cost effective fabrication of high precision glass aspheric lenses with applications in a variety of commercial, scientific, and military optical systems, including helmet mounted displays, head up displays (HUD's), imaging systems, injection molds for consumer optics, projection systems, microlithography, and high end cameras.

Keywords:
Magnetorheological Fluids Precision Optics Computer Controlled Finishing Aspheres