Etching of water-sensitive optics with water-in-oil emulsions
In one inventive concept, a method for etching an optic includes obtaining a microemulsion, where the microemulsion includes a continuous oil phase, a surfactant system comprising at least one surfactant, and water, submerging at least a portion of the optic in the microemulsion, and agitating by ultrasonication the microemulsion for etching the optic submerged therein.
1. A method for etching an optic, the method comprising:
obtaining a microemulsion, wherein the microemulsion comprises a continuous oil phase, a surfactant system comprising at least one surfactant, and water;
submerging at least a portion of the optic in the microemulsion; and
agitating by ultrasonication the microemulsion for etching the optic submerged therein.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion comprises an effective amount of the surfactant system to disperse the water in the continuous oil phase.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion is a water-in-oil emulsion.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the continuous oil phase is present in the microemulsion in a range of about 60 wt % to about 90 wt % relative to a total weight of the microemulsion.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the continuous oil phase is present in the microemulsion in a range of about 70 wt % to about 85 wt % relative to a total weight of the microemulsion.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant system is present in the microemulsion in a range of about 10 wt % to about 40 wt % relative to a total weight of the microemulsion.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant system is present in the microemulsion in a range of about 13 wt % to about 29 wt % relative to a total weight of the microemulsion.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the water is present in the microemulsion in a range of greater than 0 wt % to about 10 wt % relative to total weight of the microemulsion.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant system comprises the surfactant and a co-surfactant, wherein a ratio by weight of the surfactant to the co-surfactant is 3:2.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the co-surfactant is a n-alcohol.
11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the water is deuterated water (D 2 O).
12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion is in a single isotropic phase.
13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the continuous oil phase is a nonpolar aprotic solvent.
14. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the continuous oil phase comprises a component selected from the group consisting of: toluene and cyclohexane.
15. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one surfactant includes a nonionic surfactant.
16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant system comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene glycol tert-octylphenyl ether and polyoxyethylene (5) nonylphenylether.
17. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonication has a frequency in a range of about 20 kHz to about 300 kHz.
18. A system for etching an optic, the system comprising:
a chamber;
a solution in the chamber, wherein the solution is a microemulsion comprising a continuous oil phase, at least one surfactant, and water; and
an ultrasonic device, wherein the ultrasonic device is configured to agitate the solution in the chamber.
19. The system as recited in claim 18 , wherein the ultrasonic device provides a frequency in a range of about 20 kHz to about 300 kHz.
20. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a mass ratio of the surfactant system to the water is in a range of about 4:1 to about 14:1.