Plastic forming and welding of optical elements for laser technologies and optical telecommunications.
A set of technological processes of manufacturing of optical elements with sophisticated profiles for laser technologies and optical telecommunications has been developed in the Institute of Solid State Physics .
The main components of the technologies €Ц compaction of monolithic material from initial dispersive raw material, manufacturing of pieces with necessary dimensions and geometry, forming of their working faces up to required profile and optical smoothness €Ц are made by application of external pressure which induces local plastic deformation in contact regions either between the fragments to be connected into a monolithic piece or between the external face of a piece and a die which should produce necessary profile and optical smoothness.
ISSP developed the regimes of processing of optical materials by pressure which enable:
тАв€а to achieve mechanically strong and optically transparent connection of separate fragments to monolithic piece;
тАв€а to fabricate surfaces with nanoscopic smoothness (its achievement by usual abrasive polishing is problematic);
тАв€а to form optical surfaces with non-spherical and rather sophisticated profiles, improving essentially effectiveness of laser technologies and optical telecommunications;
Composed optical element from cesium iodide welded and polished by deformation.
It should be emphasized that optically smooth surfaces fabricated by means of compression with preliminary polished dies have a set of qualitatively new characteristics:
тАв€а The microhardness of the formed elements characterizing their resistance to scratching is bigger significantly in comparison with the surfaces processed by the abrasive method.
тАв€а Deformation polishing produces anti-hydroscopic effects: optics from alkali halides can be kept at open air without essential damage during several years.
тАв€а Aluminum mirrors manufactured by usual technique of vacuum evaporation are scratched even after very accurate cleaning with soft fabric. Analogous mirrors, manufactured by forming are not scratched even after scraping with rather rough rags.
The technology of plastic forming is used successfully in the Institute of Solid State Physics for experimental production of lenses and other optical elements from alkali halide crystals for infrared technological lasers