The Phase I effort demonstrated our technology called FORM, Flexible Optical Ray Metrology. Our prototype system demonstrated that this technology achieves the precision and dynamic range needed for measuring conformal windows. The Phase I metrology system can now be refined to provide metrology of collaborators conformal windows. We expect this data to enable completion of the polishing of these windows by our collaborators, providing high quality conformal windows for the first time. Our Phase II plan improves and expands the measurements to arch correctors and freeform aspheric surfaces. In year 1, we will develop the technique and software that optimally combines data from FORM measurements, which accurately represents the optical performance, with CMM metrology, which provides the geometry and low order form. We will develop software that allows direct modeling of optical performance of components based on FORM measurements. In year 2, we will develop a scanning system to measure arch correctors and designed with potential to upgrade for measuring full ogive domes. We will measure an arch being polished by our collaborator OptiPro with this system. As an option, we will enhance this system to measure not only transmissive optics, but also to measure surfaces in reflection.
Benefit: Upon the successful completion of the Phase II proposal effort, a fully functional measurement system will be available to optical production houses to integrate into their capabilities. The new measurement capability will enable and create a sufficiently advanced suit of components that it will promote a need for current product design revisions in order to stay competitive. In addition, entirely new products previously unachievable will be within reach. The primary areas that the measurement systems will enable include the fabrication of freeform optics to a high degree of optical accuracy, ogives, and complex windows for pod or missile configured sensor systems, UAV sensor systems or any sensor system that need to look out through an aerodynamically optimized window. Currently there are many high volume production applications for shape limited versions of these types of optics but they can only provide a fraction of the performance that would be enabled using the components made available using the measurement system in the production loop for the advanced components. It is difficult to address the specific programs that are producing high quantities of these types of limited optics currently as they are nearly all classified programs at that level of detail. It is possible to capture the general levels of production by the statement that many of the production lines that fabricate the products run 24hrs a day 7days a week and produce many high dollar products. It is also safe to say that the increase in the development and use of UAV and commercial reconnaissance platforms will certainly see a need for the emerging components. Other areas of application include the area of X-ray optics where the geometry and figure of the required optics is not easily measured using current technology. All of the nations high energy light sources use hundreds of these optics and refurbish them semiannually to achieve the number of test stations needed by the current demand for time on the sources. It is a fair analogy to make that the successful introduction of the resulting Phase II measurement system will be as enabling as a new class or interferometer that is capable of measuring extremely wide dynamic range slopes with the ability to discriminate between individual optic surfaces.
Keywords: dome, manufacturing, Form, Corrector arch, metrology, conformal window
