Enabling high-performance optical fabrication with sub-aperture finishing and stitching interferometry

Commercially available sub-aperture polishing and measurement technologies have changed the landscape of precision optics manufacturing. Such developments have enabled the production of higher precision and more complex optics with increasingly difficult figure requirements. Magnetorheological Finishing (MRF®) is a production-proven, deterministic sub-aperture finishing method that overcomes many limitations of traditional polishing. Sub-aperture Stitching Interferometers (SSI®) extend the effective aperture, dynamic range, and accuracy of phase measuring interferometers by combining novel software and hardware. QED has pioneered these finishing and metrology techniques over the past decade. Some of the latest developments on how MRF and stitching interferometry may be combined to enable cost effective manufacturing of a wide range of precision optical surfaces will be presented. Some interesting aspects of growing a business from a university spin-off to a wholly owned subsidiary of a publicly traded company will also be covered.

The NES/OSA attended the Massachusetts State Middle School Science & Engineering Fair at Worcester Technical High School on June 6th , 2009. The NES/OSA has been supporting this event for 7 years with money for operations and awards with the assistance of an OSA activity grant. This year’s fair featured an Expo for contributing organizations. Local members Bruce Irving, Aziz Mahfoud-Familia, Mark Hutcheson, Barbara Darnell and Groot Gregory provided Optics Demonstrations during the lunch hour Expo. The hands on demonstrations included polarization, fluorescence, refraction and laser communication. The giant kaleidoscope again was a big hit with younger kids and parents. In addition to the demonstrations, SPIE career CDs and SPIE/OSA posters were given to teachers, parents and students.