System and method for implementing enhanced optics fabrication
A system and method are provided for implementing enhanced optics fabrication for making a concave focusing optical lens with a selected material of a crystal or an amorphous material and a support member. A cut-out is formed in the support member with a depth based upon the final, desired curvature of the concave focusing optical lens. The cut-out is partially filled with an epoxy and the selected crystal or amorphous material is placed on top thereby creating a quasi-vacuum seal. A vacuum pump is connected to the support member, providing a set vacuum level until the epoxy has hardened and the selected crystal or amorphous material has achieved its final curvature. Vacuum pressure is substantially uniformly applied to the crystal, providing substantially uniform stresses on the surface of the final concave focusing optical lens.
1. A method for implementing enhanced optics fabrication for making a concave focusing optical lens comprising:
providing a selected material of a crystal or an amorphous material;
providing a support member having a cut-out with a set depth based upon a final, desired curvature of the concave crystal optical lens;
partially filling said cut-out with an epoxy;
placing said crystal on said cut-out, creating a quasi-vacuum seal; and
connecting a vacuum pump to said support member, providing a set vacuum level providing substantially uniform vacuum pressure to said crystal, and continuing said set vacuum level until the epoxy has hardened providing substantially uniform stresses on the surface of the final concave focusing optical lens, and said selected material has the final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing said support member includes providing said support member formed of a selected material, said selected material including a selected one of aluminum, stainless steel, and brass.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein providing said support member includes providing a precision machined cut-out having a selected shape, and having said set depth, said selected shape including a selected one of a cylindrical shape and an elliptical shape.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein connecting a vacuum pump to said support member, providing a set vacuum level providing substantially uniform vacuum pressure to said crystal, and continuing said set vacuum level until the epoxy has hardened providing substantially uniform stresses on the surface of the final concave focusing optical lens, and the selected material has achieved the final curvature for the concave focusing optical lens includes connecting said vacuum pump to an opposite side of said support member from said cut-out.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein connecting a vacuum pump to said support member, providing a set vacuum level providing substantially uniform vacuum pressure to said crystal, and continuing said set vacuum level until the epoxy has hardened providing substantially uniform stresses on the surface of the final concave focusing optical lens, and the selected material has achieved the final curvature for the concave focusing optical lens includes providing a selected vacuum level based upon a final, desired curvature of the concave focusing optical lens.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said selected material of a crystal or an amorphous material includes a selected one of a silicon crystal, a germanium crystal, a quartz crystal, a beryllium crystal, a single-structure silicon crystal, a fused silica, a copper oxide, a silicon carbide, and a glass ceramic; and wherein said epoxy is a slow drying epoxy.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein partially filling said cut-out with an epoxy including depositing said epoxy in an outer edge of the cut-out.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said cut-out is a stepped opening having an upper portion with a diameter approximately equal to a diameter of said selected material of a crystal or an amorphous material.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing said selected material of a crystal or an amorphous material includes providing said selected material having a set diameter in a range between about 5 inches and 12 inches.
10. The method as recited in claim 1 includes selectively providing said set depth of the cut-out and said set vacuum level to produce a final, desired curvature of the concave focusing optical lens.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein selectively providing said set depth of said cut-out and said set vacuum level to produce a final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens includes producing a final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens having a selected spherical profile for the concave focusing optical lens.
12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein selectively providing said set depth of said cut-out and said set vacuum level to produce a final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens includes producing a final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens having a selected elliptical profile for the concave focusing optical lens.
13. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein selectively providing said set depth of said cut-out and said set vacuum level to produce a final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens includes producing a final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens having a selected parabolic profile for the concave focusing optical lens.
14. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein selectively providing said set depth of said cut-out and said set vacuum level to produce a final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens includes producing a final, desired curvature for the concave focusing optical lens having a selected toroidal profile for the concave focusing optical lens.