Apparatus for optical materials fabrication by ultrasonic machining

摘要

A slurry of abrasive particles 17 is placed on the surface of an optic material 28. A tool tip 16 driven by an ultrasonic transducer 12 is immersed in the slurry 17 where it is used to ultrasonically vibrate the particles in the slurry 17. The vibration of the abrasive particles causes matter removal from the surface of the optic material 28 by abrasion. The tool tip 16 is moved relatively over the surface of the material 28 by moving a precision translation stage 18 having the material 28 mounted thereon so as to machine the surface thereof.