Novel approaches to generate aspherical optical surfaces

This paper gives a methodological analysis of abrasive Optical Fabrication Techniques that apply an abrasive contact between tool and workpiece for the generation of refractive and reflective (a) spherical optical surfaces. Optical Fabrication Techniques comprise the following two functioning elements: the used Material Removal Process (MRP, e.g. fresh feed polishing) and the applied Shaping Method (SM, e.g. based on surface evolution calculations). Important MRP's and SM's are reviewed. Subsequently, state-of-the-art optical fabrication techniques will be discussed representing existing combinations of MRP's and SM's. Finally, it will be shown, that new optical fabrication techniques can be developed either by inventing new MRP's or SM's, or by creating new combinations of existing MRP's and SM's.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.