Abstract

Polished aspheric surfaces are used in many military and space applications to improve system performance while allowing reduced size, weight, and complexity. However, the high cost of manufacturing aspheric surfaces is a major obstacle to their more extensive use. Our goal in developing a microcomputer controlled polisher was to improve on traditional labor-intensive manufacturing techniques by automating the polishing process and improving its efficiency. We also wished to make the process easier for moderately skilled opticians to use on a routine basis. In this way we hoped to reduce the cost of fabricating axisymmetric aspheric surfaces.

© 1986 Optical Society of America