Additive manufacturing of low-expansion glass

Abstract

There is a need for improved manufacturing of glass optical elements. A method for forming an optical element includes fusing a glass powder material to a face sheet to form a first core material layer on the face sheet. The method also includes sequentially fusing the glass powder material in multiple additional core material layers to build a core material structure on the face sheet. The method may include placing the face sheet on a mandrel before fusing the glass powder material to the face sheet. Fusing the glass powder material to the face sheet may include fusing the glass powder material to a polishable surface of the face sheet.

Claims

1. Forming a first core material layer on a face sheet by fusing glass powder material to the face sheet; and Constructing a core material structure on the face sheet by sequentially fusing glass powder material into multiple additional core material layers; Includes, One of the aforementioned additional core material layers is a hybrid layer, and the material properties of the hybrid layer change depending on its position within the hybrid layer. A method for forming an optical element, wherein the hybrid layer is formed by fusing different glass powder materials at different positions within the hybrid layer.

2. At least one of the following is forming the first core material layer by fusing glass powder, and sequentially fusing glass powder material into a plurality of additional core material layers. Depositing powder on at least one of the face sheet, the first core material layer, and / or the additional core material layer; and To selectively fuse only a portion of the aforementioned powder; The method according to claim 1, including the method described in claim 1.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder deposition comprises depositing powder onto the entire assembly of the face sheet and any subsequent layers of glass subsequently fused thereto.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fusion of glass powder materials includes fusing low-expansion glass powder into low-expansion glass.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the fusion of glass powder materials includes fusing low-expansion titania-silica glass powder into low-expansion titania-silica glass.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fusion of glass powder material to a face sheet includes fusing glass powder material to a face sheet that has a contour formed for optical properties.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising placing the face sheet on a mandrel before fusing the glass powder material to the face sheet.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fusion of the glass powder material to the face sheet includes fusing the glass powder material to the face sheet on the side of the face sheet opposite to the polishable surface of the face sheet.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising sequential fusion of glass powder materials to form a reflector substrate.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the formation of the reflector substrate includes forming a three-dimensional reflector shape from the first core material layer and the additional core material layer.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sequential fusion of glass powder materials alters the properties of the material in subsequent layers.

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