Accurate High-speed Assembly of Optical Components in Optical Scanning Systems using UV-curing Adhesives: A Positional and Stability Study

In the miniaturized designs of optical scanning systems, UV-curing adhesives have been substituted for screws and bolts. The assembly of delicate optical components enforces stringent requirements on positional accuracy and stability after temperature and humidity cycle testing. The influence of the UV-curing adhesive is mainly determined by its polymerization shrinkage (typically more than 6%). With low amounts of Aerosil® fillers (5% by weight), shrinkage values of 3% can be attained. Optimized adhesive constructions lead to close positional tolerances (0.5 μm) and angular displacements (0.1 mrad).