Super-polished Freeforms Optical Systems (SFOS) for industry and nuclear fusion

用于工业和核聚变的超抛光自由曲面光学系统 (SFOS)

• 批准号: 10086520
• 金额: $ 193.82万
• 依托单位: ZEEKO LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Collaborative R&D
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10086520
• 关键词: Super; polished; Freeforms; Optical; Systems

This Proposal confronts manufacturing challenges that constrict the on-going revolution in complex ('freeform') optical surfaces, these promising radical performance-improvements, yet with fewer components. We focus primarily on resolving the lack of worldwide capability for nano-scale-accurate, super-smooth freeforms that i) can survive high laser-powers, and ii) meet emerging challenges in other applications, especially next-generation semiconductor photolithography. We take laser-fusion (US National Ignition Facility, NIF) as an example, the technology promising almost limitless energy, but requiring gross simplification -- one of the keys is free-form optics. The project thereby confronts key societal needs incl. sustainable manufacture, Big Data and 'green' energy. Our industry/research consortium has the expertise and facilities to tackle this head on, developing a unique commercial manufacturing solution. After IP protection, project outputs will then be widely disseminated. In doing so, our ambitions are to: (i) capture 4% ($2.4Bn) of the global optimal manufacturing and services market that will need to move to freeforms in the next 5 years, and (ii) establish a new supply chain opportunity for 7000 UK companies and (iii) create a new, globally competitive innovation ecosystem for optical freeform design and manufacture in the United Kingdom.

该提案面临着限制复杂（“自由形状”）光学表面正在进行的革命的制造挑战，这些挑战有望实现根本性的性能改进，但所需的组件更少。我们主要致力于解决全球范围内缺乏纳米级精确、超光滑自由曲面的能力，i）可以承受高激光功率，ii）应对其他应用中出现的新挑战，特别是下一代半导体光刻技术。我们以激光聚变（美国国家点火装置，NIF）为例，该技术承诺几乎无限的能量，但需要总体简化——其中关键之一是自由曲面光学。因此，该项目面临着关键的社会需求，包括。可持续制造、大数据和“绿色”能源。我们的行业/研究联盟拥有解决这一问题的专业知识和设施，开发独特的商业制造解决方案。知识产权保护后，项目成果将被广泛传播。在此过程中，我们的目标是：(i) 占领未来 5 年内需要转向自由曲面的全球最佳制造和服务市场的 4%（24 亿美元），(ii) 为 7000 家英国公司建立新的供应链机会，以及 (iii) 在英国为光学自由曲面设计和制造创建一个新的、具有全球竞争力的创新生态系统。