Invited Paper

Innovations in
deterministic optical manufacturing processes
Harvey M. Pollicove1
Center for Optics Manufacturing, University of Rochester
240 East River Road, Rochester, NY 14623

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on development innovations at the Center for Optics Manufacturing (COM) that incorporate
computer-aided deterministic manufacturing technology to produce highly precise optics. COM developed computer
numerically controlled deterministic microgrinding equipment and magnetorheological finishing processes eliminate the
industry’s reliance on the specialized skills required to operate today’s costly labor-intensive conventional
manufacturing processes. These newly developed enabling technologies extend the manufacturing state-of-the-art to
provide optical manufacturers with a cost effective capability to produce precision optics.

Keywords: CNC, grinding, magnetorheological finishing, MRF, microgrinding, optics manufacturing, polishing

1. INTRODUCTION

Since 1990, when COM began its pioneering effort to develop computer numerically controlled (CNC) optics grinding
and polishing equipment, the availability of commercially available CNC equipment has increased dramatically. Today,
most modern shops use a CNC grinder and one or two CNC polishers, configured as a manufacturing cell, to routinely
produce optics. The commercially available CNC grinding and polishing equipment easily manufactures consumer and
commercial quality imaging (photographic, video, projection) optics having surface figure requirements in the 1.0- to
5.0-λ p-v (peak-to-valley) range. Optics better than 0.50 wave are much more difficult and usually require additional
processing using computer-controlled MRF (magnetorheological finishing) or more labor-intensive conventional
polishing processes.

This article briefly describes current spherical MRF capabilities and then introduces two new MRF capabilities for
polishing thin plano and square or rectangular optics with surface figure requirements in 0.05 λ p-v range. A significant
advantage of the newest CNC grinders and all of the MRF machines are that the controls and software eliminate much of
the years-long specialized operator training required with artisan-based conventional equipment.

2. MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FINISHING

In 1994, COM developed a revolutionary new concept in precision polishing technology called magnetorheological
finishing. MRF is a computer-controlled deterministic surface-finishing solution that eliminates the specialized artisan
skills and tooling required by conventional polishing. The process is best understood by thinking of the MR
(magnetorheological) fluid as a compliant subaperture fluid lap that replaces the rigid pitch lap used in the conventional
slurry-based polishing process (figure 1). Computer algorithms accurately control the fluid lap to produce a precision
final surface shape. Either ground or pre-polished surfaces can be finished to final figure accuracies that are better than
0.05 λ p-v in a matter of minutes.

For the optics shop, the automation and flexibility of MRF equipment offers an extraordinary manufacturing advance
over wax or polyurethane polishing. Because the MRF polishing tool never dulls or changes, the process is extremely

1
Harvey M. Pollicove, Center for Optics Manufacturing, 240 East River Road, Rochester, NY 14623; 585 275 1093;
email: hpol_com@LLE.rochester.edu www.opticsexcellence.org

Optical Manufacturing Technologies, Yimo Zhang, Wenyao Liu, Harvey M. Pollicove,

16 Editors, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 4921 (2002) © 2002 SPIE · 0277-786X/02/$15.00

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 stable and the machine operator becomes proficient in its use in a matter of weeks. For example, Schneider Optical
Machines (www.schneider-om.com) and QED Technologies (www.qedmrf.com) demonstrated a machine line at Optatec
2002 that CNC generated, polished, and MRF final polished a 0.10 wave optical surface every two minutes. While the
CNC polisher easily produces a 1.0 wave surface, in combination with MRF, the line produced 0.10 wave optics. Ten
years ago, it would have been unthinkable to suggest that a 0.10 wave optic could be finished every two minutes.

Figure 1. MRF is best understood by thinking of the Magnetorheological Fluid as a compliant subaperture fluid
lap.

MRF is a revolutionary breakthrough for polishing and figuring high precision optical surfaces. One machine and one
tool can produce a variety of surface shapes. MRF is capable of polishing high-precision spheres and flats, aspheres,
optical surfaces with square or rectangular apertures, prisms, and even cylindrical optics. Since there is no dedicated
tooling required, changing from one shape to another is quick and straightforward. The computer-controlled system is
capable of rapidly performing its programmed task to very high accuracy and precision. The MRF process, which
simultaneously eliminates subsurface damage while improving figure, has high removal rates that keep cycle times short.
The flexibility and simple operation of the MRF system make it ideally suited for both rapid prototyping and low to
medium volume production runs. It may be used to improve either ground or pre-polished surfaces into optics having
final figure accuracies better than 0.05 λ p-v in a matter of minutes.

Coupling the flexibility and simplicity of MRF technology with traditional or CNC optics manufacturing equipment
provides a cost effective alternative for optics shops. While NC technology does not eliminate the need for a good
operator, operators are more easily trained as polishers. Once the MRF system is integrated into the optics production

Figure 2. MRF is capable of producing optics with final figure

accuracies better than 0.05 S-v in a matter of minutes.

Proc. SPIE Vol. 4921 17

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 line, small-, medium- and large-batch lens production, precisely polished surfaces are easily manufactured. MRF also
enables a host of other opportunities, including the ability to fabricate thin wafer substrates and rectangular optics such
as prisms and cylinders.

2.1 Producing Thin Optics Using MRF

Polishing an optic whose diameter is much greater than its thickness (greater than 10:1) is one of the most difficult jobs
in the shop because thin (high-aspect-ratio) optics are often inadvertently stressed when being fixtured or mounted for
polishing. No matter how carefully this is done, the operation induces a mounting distortion or stressed state within the
optic. After the optic is polished, it is released from the mount. As soon as it is released, it returns to its stress-free state
and the surface, which is mechanically flexible on an optical scale, is no longer flat, since glass is perfectly elastic. This
is particularly troublesome when working to requirements of better than 0.25 S-v.

Figure 3. MRF is insensitive to mounting distortion or deformation, making it ideally suited for
polishing thin (high aspect ratio) optics. In approximately 7 minutes of polishing time, the p-v
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MRF eliminates the problem. The process is insensitive to mounting distortion or deformation. With MRF, the critical
factor is that the part measurement data must be taken in the stress-free or the as-used (mounted) state. The metrology
data is used by the MRF system to instruct the subaperture tool to polish only the mapped high zones, which disregards
internal mounting distortion.

This powerful MRF capability may be used to polish thin lenses, thin optical windows such as thin-film filter substrates
for telecommunications, or even wafers used in microelectronic applications. The metrology may represent anything
ranging from surface flatness, to transmitted wavefront, to total thickness variation (TTV), or optical thickness
(mechanical plus optical path thickness). A key property of MRF is that it can precisely polish a nonflat shape as easily
as it can polish a perfectly flat shape. This is very useful for applications such as polishing windows to correct for
material inhomogeneity, phase plates for laser beam correction, or even correcting misalignments found in multi-element
optical systems after assembly by polishing the system correction into the outermost surface and reassembling.

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 2.2 Using the MRF Raster Version for Prisms
The most recent implementation of MRF technology enables polishing square or rectangular mirrors and windows,
prisms, and cylindrical optics by using a raster tool path. Using conventional polishing techniques for figure correction
near the straight edges and intersecting corners of non-round components is problematic because polishing tool
performance near the edges and corners of the optic is unpredictable and often degrades flatness. MRF raster scanning (a
raster tool path instead of rotating the workpiece) does not degrade at the edge or corner of the workpiece. It is the
perfect tool for figure, wedge, and angle correction on prisms or flats.

Figure 4. MRF raster capability is a perfect solution for polishing plano or prism optics.

3. MANUFACTURING TRANSFORMATION

A manufacturing transformation is occurring in the optical industry. In the past 10 years, remarkable progress has been
made in the development and commercial availability of computer numerically controlled equipment and deterministic
processes for optics manufacturing. CNC technology is expanding the capability of the manufacturing base and enabling
the affordable production of extremely precise optics. The newest generation of CNC grinding and polishing equipment,
especially when combined with MRF, gets the job done faster and better - with less tooling and lower skill levels than
traditional approaches. Increasingly more companies, large and small, are adopting (and passing on the cost benefit of)
computer numerically controlled machines in order to meet the ever-increasing quality demands of their customers. CNC
optical machining and finishing centers are now becoming an indispensable shop floor necessity.

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