Metrology of Optical Components.

Surface Quality
Darius Mikšys
darius@optogama.com
 Surface quality. Why it is important?
Surface imperfections consist of scratches, digs (little pits),
sleeks (tiny scratches), edge chips, and coating blemishes.
• Uncoated and coated optics
• Affects laser beam quality, wavefront error
• Increased scattering
• Higher absorption
• Lower LIDT
• Not beautifull

Critical:
Image planes
High power systems
Where low loss mirrors is required
Scratch Dig specification. MIL.
• MIL-PRF-13830B Scratch/Dig standart
• Quess the year?
• 1945–1954

• A typical scratch/dig would be 20/10, which means the scratch

designation is 20 and the dig designation is 10
• Surface quality: 20/10 S/D [SD, S-D]
 Scratch spec per MIL-PRF-13830B
Scratch designation N : measured by comparing appearance with standard scratches under
controlled lighting

Calculated as indicated --
For scratches designated as n1, n2 , ... length l1, l2, ...
Part diameter (or effective diameter) D
1. Combined length of scratches of type N must not exceed D/4
2. If a scratch designated N is present, sum(ni * li)/D must be not exceed N/2
3. If no scratch designated N is present, sum(ni * li)/D must be not exceed N
Example:

J. H. Burge 4
University of Arizona
 Dig spec per MIL-PRF-13830B
A dig is a small pit in the surface. Originates from defect in the material or
from the grinding process.

Dig designation M = actual diameters in µm / 10

1. Number of maximum digs shall be one per each 20 mm diameter on the

optical surface.

2. The sum of the diameters of all digs shall not exceed 2*M (Digs less than 2.5
µm are ignored).

3. For surfaces whose dig quality is 10 or less, digs must be separated by at

least 1 mm.

J. H. Burge
University of Arizona 5
But what‘s wrong with MIL-PRF-13830B?
• Digs evaluated by apparent size (5->50um, 20-200um, etc)
• Scratch number has nothing common with it‘s size!
• Scratches are evaluated by its visibility (brightness)

• Correlation between the appearance or visibility of a scratch and its

measured width. The shape of a scratch has a lot to do with its
visibility.
What‘s wrong with MIL-PRF-13830B?
• Only one set of limit standards exist
• Inspection is very subjective
• Results of the same items differs
inspector to inspector
• Commercial equivalents aren’t always
equivalent
Inspection methods. Transmitted light
Inspection methods. Reflected light
Scratch Dig specification. ISO-10110-7.
5/NxA - Surface imperfection tolerances
Coating imperfections preceded by a C
Long scratches preceded by an L
Edge chips by an E.
A’” is the chip protrusion from the edge

Examples: 5/NxA; CN’xA’;LN”xA”,EA’”.

5/3x0,16
5/C3x0,25; L1x0,01; E0,2
5/5x0.05; L1x0.001; E0.5

• requires direct measurement of every scratch and dig

• microscope with camera and calibration for dimensional evaluation
 Scratch Dig specification. ISO-10110-7.
If the indication is 5/2 x 0.25 (i.e. 2 surface defects of
grade number 0.25), then 2 x 2.5 ≈ 5 surface defects
are allowed of the grade number 0.16

or 2 x 6.3 ≈ 12 defects on the surface of the grade

number 0.1

or 2 x 16 ≈ 32 defects on the surface, of the grade

number 0.063.
Standard class, A, mm
Alternatively, any corresponding combination of the
above is permissible, provided that the total projected
area of all surface imperfections with a grade number
greater than 0.16 x 0.25 = 0.04, does not exceed ≈ 2 x
0.252 mm2 = 0.125 mm2
Automated&calibrated systems
Literature
• https://redlux.net/optilux-sd
• https://www.savvyoptics.com/files/Scratch_and_Dig_Primer_2019.pdf
• https://wp.optics.arizona.edu/visualopticslab/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2016/08/Section5Slides.pdf
• https://cdn.standards.iteh.ai/samples/18093/515e185ee90541409baea98855e76da3/ISO-10110-7-1996.pdf