Wringing Optical Component with Offset Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing light integrators face challenges with stability, production complexity, and adhesive-related issues, including contamination and poor layer quality, especially when trying to achieve uniform illumination and internal structuring or coating without adhesives.

Innovation Solution

The optical component is composed of individual parts wrung together at planar joining surfaces, with a coating set back by a parallel offset to minimize optical losses, allowing for stable and producible internal structuring or coating without adhesives, using molecular or atomic forces for connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If hollow integrators are composed of multiple component parts to achieve stable structure, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity and production difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidproduction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hollow integrator is divided into multiple individual parts (first individual part, second individual part, etc.) that are wrung together at joining surfaces. This segmentation allows for stable assembly while maintaining production simplicity, as each part can be manufactured separately and then joined through wringing without requiring complex adhesive processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If adhesive strips are used to connect glass plates, then ease of manufacture is improved, but coating quality and purity deteriorate due to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidcoating contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive strips are completely removed from the system. Instead of using adhesive to join the individual parts, the patent employs wringing surfaces that connect through molecular or atomic forces. This extraction eliminates the source of contamination that would otherwise affect the coating quality inside the hollow integrator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Wringing surfaces act as an intermediary connection method between individual parts. These surfaces are specifically designed to be superficially removed (e.g., through ion beam figuring) to create optimal connection properties, enabling stable joining without adhesives and preventing contamination of the internal coating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If coating is applied close to joining surfaces, then manufacturing precision is improved, but optical losses increase due to interference at the joining interface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating positioning accuracyVSAvoidoptical losses

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The coating is applied with a specific local quality characteristic: it is set back by a parallel offset from the joining surface. This creates a differentiated zone where the coating is optimized for optical performance (reflectivity) while the joining surface remains free for optimal mechanical connection. The parallel offset ensures uniform distance from the joining surface, minimizing optical interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Adaptability or versatility

If geometrically different glass plates are used to form rectangular cross section, then adaptability to different beam shapes is improved, but manufacturing precision and production simplicity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam cross-section adaptabilityVSAvoidproduction uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The individual parts are designed with asymmetric geometries to accommodate different beam cross-section shapes (rectangular, square, etc.). Each part has specific dimensions and shapes that, when assembled, create the desired overall geometry. This asymmetric design allows adaptation to various applications while maintaining production simplicity through standardized wringing connection methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach results in a stable, easily producible optical component with minimized optical losses and improved coating quality, avoiding the drawbacks of adhesive use and enabling uniform illumination across various beam cross-sections.

Implementation Method 1

N individual parts ET1 . . . ETN which are wrung together at at least N−1 planar joining surfaces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMolecular or atomic forces of attraction: Van der Waals Force

Data Source

PatentUS11892650B2Method for producing an optical component having a coated internal structure and optical component produced by said method

Publication Date: 2024.02.06 JENOPTIK OPTICAL SYSTEMS GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing an optical component consisting of at least two individual parts, which together enclose an open cavity, wherein the timer sides delimiting the cavity are coated or structured, and from which previously material has been removed in zones in the region of the free aperture, wherein said region is recoated and the individual parts are connected to one another by wringing. The wringing height is greater than the removal height plus the height of the coating. The invention also relates to optical components which are produced according to this method.