Metrology tools for fabricating micro-optics dedicated to endoscopy

新型光学元件的设计和制造比以往任何时候都更推动了生物医学成像技术的发展。通过CFI Leader的资助，我们最近获得了一种独特的工具：一种能够制造专门用于生物医学光学的专业光学元件的超精密机床。该仪器可对任何形状的光学材料进行金刚石车削、研磨或研磨，具有光学级别的表面光洁度。将这些定制部件集成到医疗器械中的最后一步在于精确地表征光学部件相对于编程部件的最终形状。这一因素决定了该组件将按所需方式工作，并且不会增加波前的像差。因此，我们通过这项提案要求一种能够测量光学部件形状精度的计量工具，以完成我们的快速原型平台。除了对我们生产的部件进行验证外，该计量工具还将有助于改进我们的机械加工工艺。通过精确测量我们的零件，我们将能够微调加工变量并修正系统的形状误差。最后，通过提高我们医学成像所需的透镜和反射镜的产量和质量，我们也将能够满足我们工业合作伙伴的需求。事实上，我们希望生产最先进的光学元件，帮助加拿大研究人员和公司创造突破性技术。

More than ever, the design and fabrication of novel optical components is fuelling the development of biomedical imaging technologies. Through a CFI Leader grant, we recently acquired a unique tool: an ultra-precision machine tool enabling the fabrication of specialized optical components dedicated to biomedical optics. This instrument can diamond-turn, grind or mill any optical material in any shape with optical grade surface finish. The last step towards integration of these custom parts into medical instruments consists in precisely characterizing the final form of the optical part with respect to the programmed one. This factor determines that the component will work as desired and will not add aberration to the wavefront. We are thus requesting through this proposal a metrology tool capable of measuring form accuracy for optical components to complete our rapid prototyping platform. In addition to the validation of the component we produce, this metrology tool will help use to improve our machining process. By accurately measuring our parts we will be able to fine tune the machining variables and correct for systematic form errors. Finally, by improving the yield and quality of the lens and mirrors we need for medical imaging we will also be able to answer the needs of our industrial partners. Indeed, we want to produce state of the art optical components that will help Canadian researcher and companies creating breakthrough technologies.