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Extreme Precision Optics

Extreme Precision Optics

Zygo's Extreme Precision Optics Group in Richmond, California, fabricates world-class aspheric and spherical surfaces, precision machined structures, and ultra-high precision optical assemblies, serving the Defense & Aerospace, Life Sciences, and Semiconductor markets.

With over 20 engineers, the EPO group has a distinguished heritage that has ranged from the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope to the development of sub-nanometer precision EUV optics used in today's most demanding lithographic systems.

Aspheric Surface Fabrication

Aspheric Surface Fabrication
  • Sizes to 500 mm
  • Materials: Zerodur, ULE, Glass, Ceramics, Si, CaF2
  • Accuracy to λ/5000 RMS @ 633 nm
  • Off-axis mirrors without parent fabrication
  • Technologies:
    • ›› Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing
    ›› Ion Beam Figuring
    ›› Precision optical & CMM metrology

Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing

Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing
  • Aspheres & precision sphere, flats, cylinders
  • Can achieve:
    • ›› 1 nm RMS surface figure
    ›› 0.2 nm RMS surface roughness (glass)
  • Configurable for glass, CaF2, Zerodur, ULE, SiC, Si, other materials and a wide range of part geometries
  • Scalable for optics beyond 1.5 meters
  • Employs proprietary Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing (CCOS) technology

Ion Beam Figuring (IBF)

This proprietary technology employs an Argon ion stream in a vacuum to locally "polish" aspherical, spherical and flat optical surfaces. Data from optical metrology is coupled with CCOS software to locally correct surface errors.

IBF offers significant advantages:

Ion Beam Figuring
  • Achieves surface figure of less than 0.25 nm RMS (?/2500 @ 633 nm)
  • Insensitive to edge boundary conditions
  • Works on delicate and/or easily deformed surfaces such as ultra lightweight substrates (no print through)
  • Can be applied to surface geometries that are not accessible to conventional polishing tools
  • Applicable to a wide range of materials including Zerodur, ULE, glass, ceramic, Si, CaF2
  • Can not scratch surfaces

Precision Glass Machining

Precision Glass Machining
  • 5-axis ultrasonic CNC machining of glass and ceramic material; 3 to 5 times faster than traditional CNC
  • 3- & 4-axis conventional CNC glass machining
  • Post machine hydrofluoric acid-etching
  • 5 µm tolerances typical; 2 µm on key features post-acid etch
  • Sizes to 750 mm

Abrasive Machining

Abrasive Machining
  • Process includes two main elements:
    • ›› Masking - a photolithographic technique
    ›› Machining - a CNC mill with an abrasive power unit
  • Applications include fabrication of flexible clamp membranes for reticle chucks, and patterning wafer table surfaces

Precision Glass Assembly

Precision Glass Assembly
  • Class 10000 and Class 100 assembly areas
  • Custom designed proprietary tooling
  • Glass-to-glass and glass-to-metal bonding
  • Tolerances:
    • ›› 10 µm position
    ›› 1 µm parallelism