Freeform Replicated Mirrors - Optics Without Boundaries

At MKS Newport, where we are dedicated to helping our customers enhance their system performance and stay ahead in both capabilities and cost-efficiency. With over 45 years of excellence in providing superior replicated optical components, Newport continues to lead the way by introducing FreeForm replicated mirrors to our capabilities. Replication offers industry leading repeatability for volume mirror manufacturing, ensuring each mirror is a visually indistinguishable copy of the master from which it originates. Our unique blend of opto-mechanical engineering, manufacturing prowess, and testing expertise ensures that our finished products consistently meet all expectations. Freeform mirrors are your ticket to achieving advanced degrees of design freedom when developing new instruments or upgrading existing systems. With the power of FreeForm design, you can boost instrument performance and potentially reduce costs.

Benefits of FreeForm

  • Less Inventory
  • Lower Hardware Cost
  • Mechanical Alignment Improvements
  • Stray Light Reduction
  • Aberration Correction
  • Decrease Total Number of Optics
  • Volume Reduction
  • Mass Reduction
  • Reduced Assembly Time

Commencing with an initial consultation, we embark on a journey of quality and dedication to craft the FreeForm mirror that expertly suits your instrument. Our meticulous process begins with an in-depth discussion with our design specialists, where you articulate your specific requirements, and our specialists tailor design solutions to precisely match your system's needs. From there, the creation of the FreeForm Replicated Mirror unfolds with unwavering commitment to excellence. Every single step in this intricate process is executed by dedicated professionals committed to delivering a quality solution that exceeds your expectations.

Monolithic Design

Our freeform replicated mirrors can incorporate a metal substrate into their design, providing solutions that enhance mounting, installation, and system stability. Here's what you can expect:

  • An accurate mounting surface aligned to the optical surface.
  • The ability to incorporate mounting features or kinematic adjustment mechanisms to reduce installation and alignment time.
  • Design flexibility to position the optical surface in otherwise inaccessible locations.
  • The capability to produce low inertia optics or incorporate lightweight features.
  • Elimination of alignment issues caused by temperature excursions, vibration, and shock.
  • A matching temperature coefficient of expansion to the optical bench, minimizing system changes due to ambient temperature fluctuations.

Optical system designers can now save valuable time by leveraging computer-generated models based on their optical specifications and system constraints. These models help identify the ideal FreeForm optical component that maximizes overall system performance. This is a significant departure from the traditional method, which involves time-consuming searches for available optical components and analysis of multiple optical systems to approximate the ideal design. Starting with a FreeForm design from the outset can drastically reduce design time while maximizing system performance. Our experienced team dedicated to fabricating Newport's replicated mirrors is well-equipped to work with 3D models, cloud of points functions, or equations. This expertise assists in optimizing freeform replicated mirrors for both function and manufacturability. Our engineering team reviews design concept merit functions, establishing tooling surface geometry and verifying our state-of-the-art CNC tooling capabilities to meet FreeForm fabrication requirements.

Our Capabilities and Metrology

At Newport, we offer a comprehensive range of optical subsystem design and construction services, which include the integration of freeform mirrors into these systems. Our capabilities encompass a variety of optical elements specially designed to meet specific system requirements. Whether it's a lightweighted mirror optimized for low inertia with integrated mounting features and a through-hole for assembly shaft access, a four-mirror monolithic design with a through-hole for beam entry, or off-axis parabolic mirrors with built-in alignment adjustment features, we tailor our optical subsystems to suit your unique needs. Moreover, our expertise extends to flat mirrors with built-in adjustment, aspheric mirrors with 2-axis adjustment and integral mounting, ellipsoids with integral mounts for chromatographs, and parabolic mirrors for monochromators. With Newport, you can trust in our ability to design and construct optical subsystems that incorporate freeform mirrors with precision and customization to enhance your optical systems.

Measuring FreeForms can be challenging due to their complexity. At Newport, we employ surface profilers and interferometers to define deviation from best-fit sphere departure and slope change limits. This meticulous approach ensures your mirrors perform with the utmost precision.

Specifications and Capabilities

Freeform Replicated Mirrors
Spectral Range 200 nm to 15 μm
Coating Bare Aluminum, Bare Gold, and Protected Aluminum
Surface Quality 60/40 per MIL-F-48616 (Typical)*
Surface Roughness 25 A (Typical)*
Coating Adhesion MIL-F-48616
Coating Hardness Protected Aluminum, only: per MIL-F-48616 (Modified to 0.5lb.)
Operating Temperature Range -60°C to 100°C
Humidity Resistance MIL-F-48616
Wavefront Distortion Fit to Freeform Shape
Size Range 3 to 300 mm (typical)*
Substrate Material Aluminum, Silicon Carbide, and Glass

Discover the potential of freeform replicated mirrors with MKS Newport. We're here to help you optimize system performance and propel your projects to new heights. Contact us today to learn more about how our FreeForm mirrors can transform your optical systems.

Contact: Craig Hanson, Product Manager Email: Craig.Hanson@mksinst.com

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