Fused silica contamination layer removal using magnetic field-assisted finishing |
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| Authors: | Julian Long Daniel Ross Erik Tastepe Mikayla Lamb Yusuke Funamoto Daichi Shima Tomosumi Kamimura Hitomi Yamaguchi |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA;2. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA;3. Department of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineering, Osaka Institute of Technology, Osaka, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Fused silica optics used in lasing systems requires a high laser-induced damage resistance. Processes typically used to polish fused silica lenses induce subsurface and surface damage that collect ceria abrasive, creating a layer of contamination. The contamination can be a precursor to laser damage during use. A preliminary study showed the feasibility of magnetic field-assisted finishing (MAF) for polishing fused silica and suggested possible beneficial effects of the MAF-polished surface on the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT). This paper proposes a method to examine the fundamental polishing characteristics of MAF for fused silica. Using the proposed method, this paper explores the material removal characteristics of the MAF process and improves the understanding of the MAF polishing mechanism. The 45% improvement of LIDT shows the efficacy of MAF for removing the contamination layer of fused silica surfaces with minimal changes in the surface roughness. |
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| Keywords: | lasers optical materials/properties polishing silica |
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