Wavefront-Corrected Optical Arrangement Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing wavefront-corrected optical arrangements are inefficient due to high manufacturing costs, complex production processes, and the need for additional optical compensation elements, which require significant measurement effort and space, especially when dealing with tight tolerance limits and field-dependent corrections.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves individualizing optical elements by assigning unique identifiers, measuring and storing surface defects, and virtually simulating the wavefront errors across all field points to optimize the total wavefront error within permissible tolerance ranges, allowing for virtual correction and subsequent processing of selected elements to achieve the desired optical arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If individual components are produced with narrow tolerance limits, then wavefront error is reduced, but production complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring and documenting surface deviations of optical components before final assembly. Individual wavefront errors of components are measured and stored in a database, allowing the total system error to be calculated and corrected through software compensation rather than requiring extremely precise mechanical manufacturing. This shifts the correction from the manufacturing stage to the software configuration stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by transforming physical manufacturing tolerances into digital correction parameters. Instead of requiring tight mechanical tolerances, the system measures actual surface deviations and compensates by adjusting wavefront correction parameters in software, allowing components with looser tolerances to achieve high overall system precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple optical compensation elements are inserted to correct wavefront error, then wavefront deformation is compensated, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digital copying by creating a virtual model of the optical system that includes measured surface deviations of all components. Instead of adding physical compensation elements, the system creates a digital twin with documented imperfections and uses software to calculate and apply corrections, replacing multiple physical corrective optics with a single software-based wavefront correction algorithm.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes a mechanical/optical correction system with a software-based correction system. Instead of inserting multiple physical compensation elements into the optical path, the system measures component deviations and uses computational algorithms to correct wavefront errors, replacing complex mechanical/optical correction mechanisms with software processing.
3Measurement precision
If optical elements are individually measured and processed to correct wavefront errors, then measurement precision improves, but production time and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring and documenting surface deviations of all optical components during the manufacturing process, before final assembly. These measurements are stored in a database and used to pre-calculate correction parameters, allowing components to be produced with standard tolerances while achieving high overall system precision through software compensation, thereby improving production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically measuring, documenting, and calculating corrections for each optical component without requiring manual intervention during assembly. The database of measured deviations and the wavefront correction algorithm work together to automatically determine the optimal configuration, reducing labor-intensive measurement and adjustment efforts.
4Manufacturing precision
If the optical arrangement is assembled and then disassembled for correction processing, then wavefront error can be corrected, but production time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring and documenting surface deviations of optical components before final assembly. The total wavefront error is calculated from individual component errors, and correction parameters are determined in advance through virtual simulation. This allows components to be assembled once in their final positions without requiring disassembly for correction processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the optical system with documented surface deviations of all components. This digital twin allows wavefront error calculation and correction parameter determination to be performed in the virtual model, eliminating the need to physically disassemble and reassemble components for correction processing.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a wavefront-corrected optical arrangement comprising at least two optical elements (2). Using the method, a total wavefront error in the optical arrangement is determined and compared to a permissible tolerance range for the total wavefront error. To perform the method, the optical elements (2) are individualized by assigning an individual identifier (9) to each of them, such that individualized optical elements (2.1A to 2.1H) are obtained, individual surface defects are measured with correct coordinates on all the individualized optical elements (2.1A to 2.1H) and the measured individual surface defects are stored with correct coordinates assigned to the appropriate individualized optical element (2.1A to 2.1H). The optical arrangement comprising the individualized optical elements (2.1A to 2.1H) is produced virtually as a virtual optical arrangement (1) and a total wavefront error is calculated for the virtual optical arrangement (1).