Production and Assessment of Supersmooth Optical Surfaces

K. Lindsey; A. B. Penfold

doi:10.1117/12.7971953

1 June 1976 Production and Assessment of Supersmooth Optical Surfaces

K. Lindsey, A. B. Penfold

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 153220 (June 1976). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.7971953

Abstract

Exceptionally smooth glass, vitreous silica and metal surfaces are required for a variety of purposes in industrial and scientific laboratories. A variety of defects may mar the perfection of an optically polished surface. In a supersmooth surface, significant imperfections may have heights of about 1 nm and the principal defects which are difficult to eliminate are sleeks and fine undulations. No single method of assessing surface quality has adequate sensitivity to characterise all types of defect and the instruments and inspection techniques employed include optical microscopy, optical scatter and interferometry, bire-fringence, ellipsometry, electromechanical stylus, electron microscopy and X-ray scatter and reflection. The ability to detect and measure surface imperfections of atomic dimensions may enable the origin of the defect to be traced. In this way polishing technology may be improved systematically, in contrast to the traditional empirical approach.

Citation Download Citation

K. Lindsey and A. B. Penfold "Production and Assessment of Supersmooth Optical Surfaces," Optical Engineering 15(3), 153220 (1 June 1976). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.7971953

Published: 1 June 1976

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available