Optical Fabrication and Testing Laboratory

这个项目提供专门的光学分析 该大学高级光学专业学生使用的设备 光学制造技术 依靠眼镜大师的独特技能， 专业光学产品。 小型超薄晶体 窗口、锐边玻璃棱镜、非球面锗 透镜或光学接触元件被制成亚微米 这些工匠传统上已经学会了 他们的技术在贸易广泛的学徒计划 在东欧的学校。光学的实践基础 两名硕士正在向本科生传授制造技术， 罗切斯特大学的眼镜商在实验室课程中 三年前由首席研究员发起的 项目带学生通过玻璃熔化，铸造， 退火，以及手工制作精密透镜， 平面和棱镜。 学生和他们的雇主发现， 当然是有价值的，因为它告诉我们， 可能是在设计时不适当地容忍光学元件 产品。使用非接触式表面轮廓仪和相位- 通过本项目获得的移动干涉仪，学生 正在接受使用现代仪器的训练 制造问题，从表面下的损坏到光学 通过搅拌玻璃熔体产生的不均匀性。 这个新 仪器可与目前大多数 工业实验室和质量保证部门。 赠款资金与非联邦资金相匹配， 源

This project is providing specialized optical analysis equipment for use by advanced optics students at the University of Rochester Institute of Optics.Optical fabrication technology relies upon the unique skills of master opticians for the production of specialized optics. Small, ultra-thin crystal windows, glass prisms with sharp edges, aspheric germanium lenses or optically-contacted elements are made to sub-micron tolerances by these craftsmen, who traditionally have learned their techniques in extensive apprentice programs at trade schools in Eastern Europe.The hands-on fundamentals of optical fabrication are being passed on to undergraduates by two master opticians at the University of Rochester in a laboratory course initiated by the principal investigator three years ago. Projects take students through glass melting, casting, annealing, and into hand fabrication of precision lenses, flats, and prisms. Students and their employers find this course to be valuable, because it teaches just how costly it can be to improperly tolerance optical elements when designing products.With the non-contacting surface profiler and phase- shifting interferometer acquired through this project, students are being trained to use modern instrumentation for studying fabrication issues ranging from sub-surface damage to optical inhomogeneity created by stirring of the glass melt. This new instrumentation is comparable to that currently found in most industrial laboratories and quality-assurance departments.NSF grant funds are being matched with funds from non-federal sources.