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Optic Applications

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Diamond Turned Aspheric Optics	Ground & Polished Aspheric Optics
Fibre-Optic Connectors	Micro Lens Arrays
Polished Optics	Laser Etalons
$diffractive optics$ Diffractive Optics	Freeform Optics

Form Measurement of Diamond Turned Aspheric Optics

Overview

Aspheric optics are now specified for a wide variety of industrial, defence and consumer applications. Taylor Hobson is the metrology provider of choice for aspherics manufacturers.

Single-Point Diamond Turning (SPDT) allows high precision aspheric optics to be manufactured quickly and efficiently. Sub-wavelength form accuracy specifications mean that metrology is critical to the manufacturing process. Taylor Hobson’s Form Talysurf PGI Aspherics Measurement System sets the global standard for optics users, delivering form accuracies as low as 1/10λ Detailed in the Talysurf information below.

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Form Talysurf PGI Aspheric Measurement System
Unique contact measurement technology delivers world-leading levels of accuracy for Form & Surface Finish. 1/10λ Form Accuracy, 1/25λ Form Repeatability. Form Error feedback feature allows optimisation of the Diamond Turning process.

Aspherics Analysis Software Utility
In-depth analysis of Aspheric Optics, using Taylor Hobson’s renowned algorithm capability. Form Error & Surface Finish Parameters, Radius Optimisation, SAG Tables and Astigmatism Analysis supplied as standard with PGI Aspherics Systems. Also available is a unique Derived Coefficients module, allowing the aspheric data to be calculated directly from the component.

Form Measurement of Fibre Optic Connectors

Overview

V-Groove Fibre Optics Connectors are manufactured in a range of materials, including Zerodur®. Such materials need to be machined from solid blanks, using Ultra High Precision Milling.

The components feature V-Groove cross-sectional form, which needs to be controlled to sub-micron levels in order to ensure correct fibre alignment, thus minimising transmission losses. Surface Micro-Roughness is also an important process control parameter, with nanometric levels of surface finish required.

Taylor Hobson’s Form Talysurf Aspheric Measurement Systems, with custom dimensional analysis included within Ultra Contour software, offer the ideal measurement solution for V-Groove Connectors. Detailed in the Talysurf information below.

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Form Talysurf PGI Aspheric Measurement Systems
Unique contact measurement technology delivers world-leading levels of accuracy for Form & Surface Finish. 1/10λ Form Accuracy, 1/25λ Form Repeatability, 1nm RMS Surface Finish Measurement Capability.

Ultra 2D Surface Finish Analysis Software
Analyses length, angle, radius via direct comparison with component drawing data. Customised automatic routine allows assessment of pitch, angle and other critical
V-Groove dimensional features, with automatic tolerancing and reporting functions for process control.

Surface Finish of Precision Optics

Overview

Polished or Diamond-Turned optics are frequently specified with surface finish levels as low as 1-2nm RMS. The Form Talysurf PGI Aspherics Measurement System offers genuine 2D surface finish measurement capability to these levels.

Additionally, Taylor Hobson’s Talysurf CCI ultra-high resolution Non-Contact 3D Profilometer offers surface finish capability for superfinished surfaces to sub Angstrom levels. TalyMap 3D Analysis Software provides production and research users alike with powerful insight into surface topography. Detailed in the Talysurf information below.

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Form Talysurf PGI Aspheric Measurement Systems
Unique contact measurement technology delivers world-leading levels of accuracy for Surface Finish, with gauge resolution of 0.2nm, 1nm RMS Surface Finish Measurement Capability with 0.8nm RMS System Noise.

Ultra 2D Surface Finish Analysis Software
Full suite of ISO parameters and Filters for Surface Roughness Analysis. Powerful programming and reporting capability.

Talysurf CCI Systems
Non-Contact 3D Measurement System using our patented Coherence Correlation Interferometer. Resolution 0.1Å, Z-Range 100um, X-Y Measurement Area 7.2mm2. Delivers market-leading surface roughness measurement capability for processes such as Diamond Turning and Superpolishing.

TalyMap 3D Analysis Software
TalyMap has been designed specifically for the metrology industry and features many operations; zoom, filtering, levelling by least square line removal, symmetries, rotations, threshold setting and cylindrical, spherical or polynomial form removal and much more.

Form Measurement of Diffractive Optics

$optics diffractive optics$ Overview

Diffractive Optics with Aspheric base forms are typically manufactured using Single Point Diamond Turning.

In order to control this process so that sub-micron form accuracies can be achieved, Taylor Hobson’s Form Talysurf is an essential metrology tool.

Diffractive lenses and mirrors have a number of critical dimensional features, which determine the component’s optical performance. These include underlying aspheric form, zone height & diameter, and surface finish. Taylor Hobson have many years’ experience of meeting the measurement requirements of this highly specialist application. Detailed in the Talysurf information below.

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Aspherics Analysis Software Utility
In-depth analysis of Aspheric Optics, using Taylor Hobson’s renowned algorithm capability. Form Error & Surface Finish Parameters, SAG Tables and Astigmatism Analysis supplied as standard with PGI Aspherics Systems. Also available is a unique Derived Coefficients module, allowing the aspheric data to be calculated directly from the component.

Form Measurement of Ground & Polished Aspheric Optics

Overview

Spherical Optics made from glass and crystalline materials have traditionally been ground and polished to deliver the specified form and surface finish.

Aspheric Optics are typically manufactured in the same way, but require CNC technology to achieve efficient throughput and quality. Modern CNC grinding & polishing machines from leading suppliers such as Schneider / QED, Optotech and LoH are all fully compatible with Taylor Hobson’s Form Talysurf PGI Aspherics Measurement System.

Measurement feedback from the Form Talysurf allows manufacturers to optimise the form of ground and polished aspheres, delivering accuracies down to 1/10λ. Detailed in the Talysurf information below.

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3D Measurement of MicroLens Arrays

Overview

Microlens Arrays are a relatively new technology which are now widely used for such applications as Optical Switching, DWDM and Waveguides. With individual lenses as small as 15um Ø, the measurement of sub-micron form errors and Angstrom-level surface finish creates a uniquely challenging metrology requirement.

The Talysurf CCI 6000 meets this challenge with it’s world-beating specification. Detailed in the Talysurf information below.

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TalyMap 3D Analysis Software
Talymap has been designed specifically for the metrology industry and has many operations supplied; zoom, filtering, levelling by least square line removal, symmetries, rotations, threshold setting and cylindrical, spherical or polynomial form removal and much more. 2D profiles can be extracted and exported to Aspherics Analysis Utility (see below).

Aspherics Analysis Software Utility
In-depth analysis of Aspheric Optics, using Taylor Hobson’s renowned algorithm capability. Form Error & Surface Finish Parameters, SAG Tables and Astigmatism Analysis supplied as standard with PGI Aspherics Systems. Also available is a unique Derived Coefficients module, allowing the aspheric data to be calculated directly from the component.

Dimensional Measurement of Laser Etalons

Overview

Etalons are high specification flat optics (λ/100 or better) used to concentrate laser beams at a particular frequency. Etalons have particularly high specifications for flatness, surface finish and step height/alignment create a demanding metrology requirement. Taylor Hobson has successfully addressed this application with both contact and non-contact measurement solutions. Detailed in the Talysurf information below.

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Ultra Contour 2D Dimensional Analysis Software
Analyses length, angle, radius via direct comparison with component drawing data. Customised automatic routine allows assessment of step height, angle and other critical Etalon dimensional features, with automatic tolerancing and reporting functions for process control.

TalyMap 3D Analysis Software
TalyMap has been designed specifically for the metrology industry and has many operations supplied; zoom, filtering, levelling by least square line removal, symmetries, rotations, threshold setting and cylindrical, spherical or polynomial form removal and much more.

Freeform Optics

Overview

Non Rotationally Symmetric (Freeform) optics are becoming increasingly widely used for both civil and military applications. Advanced manufacturing technologies such as Ultra Precision Raster Milling allow a wide variety of shapes to be created.

Popular applications include Printing / Scanning, Head-Up Displays and Ophthalmics. Taylor Hobson’s market-leading Form Talysurf measurement system has long been the system of choice for 2D measurement of rotationally symmetric optics – this technology is now meeting the challenge of Freeform Optics. Detailed in the Talysurf information below.

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