About Optical Fabrication and Testing

The Optical Fabrication and Testing Topical Meeting will bring together experts working in this field to discuss recent advances and to identify future trends. The meeting will cover all aspects of optics fabrication and testing ranging from micro-optics to large optics, and from high-value one-of-a-kind optics to mass-produced optics. The meeting will emphasize new ideas and concepts in fabrication and testing of micro-optics, the fabrication and testing of aspheric optics for optics materials and finishing science. Submission of papers on applied OF&T research and reports on process lessons learned from experiences in production and testing is strongly encouraged. Papers on new ways of teaching optical fabrication and metrology are also solicited.

We welcome submissions in the following areas:

1.   Optical Materials

• New materials for new applications(plastics, crystals, glasses, lightweight materials, ceramics, carbides, UV optics materials)
• Material response to fabrication processes
• Metamaterials

2.   Figuring and Finishing Science

• Grinding, precision grinding, diamond turning and milling, ultrasound assisted machining, vibration assisted polishing
• New ideas in traditional (pitch) polishing, MRF, ion beam figuring and polishing, jet polishing, novel finishing processes
• Glass and plastic molding
• Abrasives, novel abrasive formulations
• Thin films

3.   Optical Testing

• Testing for sub-surface damage, homogeneity, form, finish, scratch/dig
  New ideas in interferometry
• Testing aspheric surfaces with and without null-optics
• Computer-generated holograms and spatial light modulators for testing
• Absolute tests for flats, spheres and aspheres
• New concepts in profilometry—optical and mechanical probes
• Testing of very large and very small optics
• White light interferometry, fringe projection metrology, deflectometry
• Testing in adverse environments: vibration, turbulence, vacuum, space, etc.
• In-process metrology

4.   Assembly, Alignment, Contamination Control, Cleaning, Packaging

• Adhesives and cementing
• Alignment of optical systems
• Alignment of systems containing aspheric elements
• Alignment of multi-element mirrors
• Mounting, control of deformation and stress birefringence
• Cleaning optics
• Clean rooms and contamination control
• Handling and packing of precision optics

5.   Process Engineering

• Cost effective optics manufacturing processes
• Cost effective fabrication of aspheric surfaces
• Automation in optics fabrication
• Fabrication of large optics
• Fabrication of micro-optics
• Experiences from the shop floor

6.   Fabrication of Unusual Optical Systems

• Photolithography optics
• Telescopes
• Adaptive Optics
• Integrated Optics

7.   Education and Training in Optics Metrology and Finishing Science

Technical Conference: October 21–24, 2008
The Clarion Riverside Hotel, Rochester, NY, USA

Submissions (June 10, 2008, 12:00 p.m. noon EDT [16.00 GMT])
Housing (Deadline: September 17, 2008)
Registration (Deadline: September 25, 2008)