Precision molded-glass optics

Abstract

Results achieved in high-precision molding of glass lenses are reported. The work concentrated on a 0.4- N.A. 8-mm diam lens with spherical surfaces. The glass is a specialty glass composition of index (d-line) 1.604 and Abbe number 50. Typical design tolerances which have been achieved in the molded glass lenses include relative surface figure replication of 0.06 Aim, thickness and diameter tolerances of A+/-10 Am, wedge of <10-3 rad, birefringence of less than one one-hundredth wave, and index homogeneity in the sixth decimal place. These results are directly applicable to molding precision glass aspheric lenses of similar tolerances.

Chemical inertness of Cr–W–N coatings in glass molding

“…For example, Cr-Ta-N [4,5], Cr-W-N [6] and Ti-Al-N [7] coatings can improve mechanical and oxidation properties simultaneously. Glass molding technology has become commonly used in the manufacture of high-precision optical elements with aspherical surfaces [8][9][10]. Previous studies proposed binary nitride coatings, such as TaN [11] and CrN [12], as protective hard coatings for glass molding dies.…”

Numerical Simulation of Glass Molding

“…Glass molding is a thermal forming process and an ideal fabrication method for precision glass lenses because of its high volume and net-shape fabrication capability [1,2]. A heated glass blank is pressed by a pair of optically polished molds to create desired geometries in glass molding process.…”

Localized rapid heating process for precision chalcogenide glass molding

“…As early as in the 1980s, precision glass molding was first proposed for fabricating glass optical components with complicated surface geometries [9]. Since its introduction, micro scale glass molding has become a very important manufacturing technology for its low cost as well as high repeatability and reliability of the fabricated parts [4].…”