GRINDING/POLISHING MACHINE FOR ASPHERIC OPTICAL SURFACES USING A TEMPLATE

摘要

The aspheric optical surface grinding machine (200) has a frame defining an optical axis (204) of an optical element to be provided with an aspheric optical surface (218a); a template (216) with a curved template surface (216a) representing a desired aspheric surface (218a) of the optical element; and at least one rocking bar (202). The rocking bar (202) is mounted on the frame with a fiducial surface (202a) arranged to bear against the template surface (216a), such that as said rocking bar (202) rocks the fiducial surface (202a) remains in contact with and rolls over the template surface (216a) and a point of contact of said fiducial surface (202a) with said template surface (216a) moves along said template surface (216a). The fiducial surface (202a) defines substantially a tangent to the template surface (216a) at the moving point of contact, and is linear and rigid in a direction of the tangent. A tool support (206) is attached to the rocking bar (202), to support a tool (210) for shaping the optical surface (218a). The tool support (206) has an axis (300) located in a plane parallel to the plane of the rocking bar (202) and containing the optical axis (204) and is directed substantially parallel to the tangent. The grinding machine (200) also includes a system to hold the rocking bar (202) to inhibit the bar (202) from slipping longitudinally along a direction of the tangent.