Optical Surfaces Ltd has received an order from Armstrong Optical, a leading UK supplier of optical metrology instruments, to supply high specification transmission and reference flats for a custom interferometer. Being built for a leading defence contractor the interferometer will be used to evaluate the quality and certify the performance of advanced military optical systems.
Interferometric test set-up incorporating a transmission reference flat. Image Credit: Optical Surfaces Ltd.
Darren Wiles, R&D Manager at Armstrong Optical commented “Reference flat interferometry is a trusted optical metrology technique used in defence applications for testing the integrity, flatness, and surface quality of critical components, such as optical elements for guidance systems, laser systems, and high-precision mirrors. To achieve our customers required interferometric testing precision necessitated a very large diameter transmission flat manufactured with high surface accuracy, excellent surface quality and design adaption to eliminate back reflection and stray light. Likewise, the very large diameter reference flat that will be used for periodic calibration of our interferometer will be produced to the same high specifications”.
He added “As a world leader in the design and supply of transmission and reference flats - Optical Surfaces Ltd were an easy choice as supplier. Having collaborated with them before we also appreciate their free technical guidance that ensures the outstanding optimised performance of our interferometers.”
Optical Surfaces Ltd has been producing high precision optical components and systems for more than 60 years. Benefiting from a unique thermally stable manufacturing environment, Optical Surfaces Ltd. can routinely achieve a surface accuracy of lambda/20 p.v. and surface roughness of 10 A rms on optical flats up to 600mm in diameter. Working with high-stability materials such as glass, Zerodur and silica, the company is recognised as a premier supplier of high precision optical flats by many leading research establishments and national standards laboratories. All optical flats from Optical Surfaces come with full quality testing assurance. Optics up to 450 mm diameter are provided with a Fizeau interferometric test report, larger flats are quality assured using the Ritchey-Common test procedure.