Polishing PMMA and other optical polymers with magnetorheological finishing

Jessica E. DeGroote; Henry J. Romanofsky; Irina A. Kozhinova; John M. Schoen; Stephen D. Jacobs

doi:10.1117/12.506860

22 December 2003 Polishing PMMA and other optical polymers with magnetorheological finishing

Jessica E. DeGroote, Henry J. Romanofsky, Irina A. Kozhinova, John M. Schoen, Stephen D. Jacobs

Proceedings Volume 5180, Optical Manufacturing and Testing V; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.506860
Event: Optical Science and Technology, SPIE's 48th Annual Meeting, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) was used to polish as-molded or diamond turned surfaces of several optical polymers. Materials included polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), cyclic olefin polymer (COP), polycarbonate (PC), and polystyrene (PS). Parts were nominally plano circular discs of various diameters (~40 mm to 75 mm) and thicknesses (2.5 mm to 25 mm). Polishing trials were conducted with standard CeO₂-based and nanodiamond-based MR fluids, or with MR fluids containing SnO₂, ZrO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, or SiO₂. Excellent results were obtained for PMMA using a ZrO₂-based MR fluid. The diamond turned plano surface of a 38-mm diameter by 8-mm thick puck was improved from an initial p-v wave front error of 4.5 µm to 0.35 µm with two figure correction runs. The average rms surface roughness was reduced from 3.8 nm to 0.47 nm, and the diamond turning marks were eliminated. Mounting and thermalization of polymer parts for in-process and final metrology was found to be a challenge.

Citation Download Citation

Jessica E. DeGroote, Henry J. Romanofsky, Irina A. Kozhinova, John M. Schoen, and Stephen D. Jacobs "Polishing PMMA and other optical polymers with magnetorheological finishing", Proc. SPIE 5180, Optical Manufacturing and Testing V, (22 December 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.506860

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