STTR Phase II: Advanced Control of Electron-Beam Deposition for High Precision Optical Coatings

这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第二阶段项目利用了第一阶段开发的电子束工艺控制能力的实质性改进，形成了一个集成控制系统，可以显著提高18亿美元的精密光学镀膜行业的产量和生产能力。制造合作伙伴表示，目标性能水平将使制造成本降低35%，并使制造商能够常规地实现更大的先进设计公差。这项研究是由一种基于第一原则系统的方法推动的，该方法为监测、控制和过程设计创造了新的知识产权。在商业上，精密光学涂层是所有光学仪器的关键部件，包括显微镜、望远镜、视觉和成像系统、投影系统和激光系统。涂料已经为这些行业服务多年，但在一个应用要求和科学研究不断进步的世界里，要求精密涂料符合更严格的公差。特别是，高能激光科学，如利弗莫尔的NIF设施，需要非常精确和可靠的涂层。这项STTR研究将是进一步提高各种重要应用的制造能力的关键。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project leverages the substantial improvements in e-beam process control capability developed in Phase I into an integrated control system that can significantly increase yield and throughput for the $1.8 billion precision optical coating industry. Manufacturing partners indicate that the target performance levels would cut manufacturing costs by 35% and enable manufacturers to routinely achieve greater tolerances for advanced designs. This research is driven by a first-principles systems based approach that has created new intellectual property for monitoring, control, and process design. Commercially, precision optical coatings are critical components for all optical instruments including microscopes, telescopes, vision and imaging systems, projection systems, and laser systems. Coatings have served these industries for years, but in a world where application requirements and scientific inquiry are constantly advancing, precision coatings are demanded that comply with even tighter tolerances. In particular, high energy laser science such as the NIF facility at Livermore require very precise and reliable coatings. This STTR research will be key to further improving manufacturing capabilities for a variety of important applications.