High-Efficiency and Low-Damage Lapping Process Optimization

Abstract

The silica opticsare widely applied in the modern laser system, and its fabrication is always the research focus. In the manufacturing process, the lapping process occurs between grinding and final polishing. However, lapping processes optimizations focus on decreasing the depth of sub-surface damage (SSD) or improving lapping efficiency individually. So, the optimum balance point between efficiency and damageshould be studied further. This manuscript establishes the effective removal rate of damage (ERRD)model, and the relationship between the ERRD and processing parameters is simulated. Then, high-efficiency, low-damage lapping processing routine is established based on the simulation. The correctness and feasibility are validated. In this work, the optimized method is confirmed that it can improve efficiency and decrease damage layer depth in the lapping process which promotes the development of optics in low-damage fabrication.