Optical Fabrication and Testing Laboratory

该项目为罗切斯特大学光学研究所的高级光学专业学生提供专用光学分析设备。光学制造技术依靠光学大师的独特技能来生产专业的光学器件。这些工匠传统上在东欧贸易学校的广泛学徒计划中学习了他们的技术，这些工匠将小而超薄的水晶窗，边缘锋利的玻璃棱镜，非球面锗透镜或光学接触元件制成亚微米公差。罗彻斯特大学（University of Rochester）的两名光学大师在三年前由首席研究员发起的一门实验课程中，向本科生传授了光学制造的实际基础知识。项目带领学生通过玻璃熔化，铸造，退火和手工制作精密镜片，平板和棱镜。学生和他们的雇主发现这门课程很有价值，因为它教会了人们在设计产品时不适当地容忍光学元件是多么昂贵。通过该项目获得的非接触式表面轮廓仪和相移干涉仪，培训学生使用现代仪器研究制造问题，从亚表面损伤到玻璃熔体搅拌产生的光学不均匀性。这种新仪器可与目前在大多数工业实验室和质量保证部门发现的仪器相媲美。美国国家科学基金会的拨款正与来自非联邦来源的资金相匹配。

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.