SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITYConvergent Polishing – Single Iteration, Initial-Surface Independent Polishing of Flats & Spheres
- Notice Date
- 12/4/2013
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 238990
— All Other Specialty Trade Contractors
- Contracting Office
- Department of Energy, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (DOE Contractor), Industrial Partnerships & Commercialization, 7000 East Avenue, L-795, Livermore, California, 94550
- ZIP Code
- 94550
- Solicitation Number
- FBO281-14
- Archive Date
- 1/7/2014
- Point of Contact
- Connie L Pitcock, Phone: 925-422-1072
- E-Mail Address
-
pitcock1@llnl.gov
(pitcock1@llnl.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Convergent Polishing - Single Iteration, Initial-Surface Independent Polishing of Flats & Spheres Opportunity: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to license intellectual property rights to commercialize its technology Convergent Polishing for polishing flat and spherical, round and rectangular surfaces on glass of various aspect ratios (width/thickness). Background: Steps in a typical optical fabrication process include shaping, grinding, edge grind/polish, full aperture intermediate polishing or lapping, full aperture final polish and sometimes small tool polishing. Significant advances in precision optical fabrication have been made since the invention of the laser in 1960 when the demand for high optical quality material including precise surface rose dramatically. In the past 30 years, there has been significant advancement with respect to the ability to deterministically remove material during the grinding process based on advancement in tooling and real-time diagnostics using Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) grinders. Similarly the advent of small tool polishing and magneto rheological finishing has revolutionized the polishing industry. However, full aperture lap polishing is far from reaching the status of deterministic process. Incremental improvements have been made but conventional polishing still requires highly-skilled opticians often using artisan techniques. This type of polishing requires multiple, often long, iterative cycles with multiple process changes to achieve to the desired surface figure. LLNL's apparatus and method of Convergent Polishing specifically named CISR ( C onvergent, I nitial surface independent, S ingle iteration, R ogue-particle free) polisher would allow for performing this operation in a single iteration under a fixed, unchanging set of polishing parameters regardless of the initial shape of the workpiece. Description: The principles behind how LLNL's CISR polisher works is essentially all the factors contributing to non-uniform spatial material removal on the optic have been eliminated except for optic-lap mismatch which leads to convergence of the optic surface figure to desired shape and the sources of entry and creation of rogue particles into/in the polisher system have been removed or are actively removed which leaves little/no scratching of the workpiece. Advantages: LLNL's CISR polisher has the following advantages: 1) polishing parameters are fixed and remain the same during/between polishing runs regardless of the initial surface figure of the workpiece; 2) polishing can be done in a single iteration from the ground state since the workpiece figure will converge to desired shape matching that of the lap leading to less polishing time and less metrology; and 3) polishing is performed in a rogue particle-"free" environment leading to little or no scratching on the workpiece. Ultimately, these advantages lead to the ability to make high end optics faster & cheaper. Potential Applications: Potential applications include manufacturing of optics used in high power or high energy laser or optical systems; as well as general manufacturing of optical flats and spheres. Development Status: The Convergent Polishing process has been demonstrated on fused silica glass, borosilicate glass, and phosphate glass workpieces. It has also been demonstrated on round & square workpieces over a size range of 70-265 mm and on flats and spheres. For example, today the process enables fabricating 26.5 cm square fused silica flat optics from a ground surface to a l /2 transmitted wavefront after polishing 4 hrs/surface in a single iteration with no changes to polishing parameters. LLNL has filed a patent application for this invention. LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/?q=resources-industry-working_with_us for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process. Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's CISR Polisher technology should provide a written statement of interest, which includes the following: 1. Company Name and address. 2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact. 3. A description of corporate expertise and facilities relevant to commercializing this technology. Written responses should be directed to: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Industrial Partnerships Office P.O. Box 808, L-795 Livermore, CA 94551-0808 Attention: FBO 281-14 Please provide your written statement within thirty (30) days from the date this announcement is published to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Convergent Polishing technology.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOE/LLNL/LL/FBO281-14/listing.html)
- Record
- SN03245276-W 20131206/131204234218-e07618448a8683fe5498fb9765a4c097 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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