Ultra-precision grinding and accuracy measurement of the hard-brittle thin-walled tubular optics

Hard-brittle thin-walled tubular optics are widely used in the field of high-power solid-state lasers. The 3D accuracy requirement and the clamping deformation of the hard and brittle thin-walled structure pose a great challenge for ultra-precision manufacturing. In this paper, fused silica thin-walled tubular optics with the length of 100mm, the inner diameter of 42mm and the outer diameter of 50mm were fabricated successfully through ultra-precision grinding. The profile accuracy of PV1.6μm, the surface roughness of Ra10nm, the straightness of 1.64μm, the roundness of 1.62μm and the cylindricity of 2.13μm were achieved through in-place dressing of grinding wheel, on-machine measurement, off-line measurement, and the iterative compensation machining. The technical difficulties of ultra-precision manufacturing of hard brittle thin-walled optics have been overcome.