TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Deterministic method to adjust glass optic form using controlled laser melting

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Deterministic method to adjust glass optic form using controlled laser melting.

Background:

The optical fabrication industry has been seeking cost effective methods of fabricating glass optics that avoid the centuries old labor-intensive traditional grinding and polishing processes. Traditional techniques are not predictable enough and as a result, optical fabricators resort to time consuming trial and error approaches.

Description:

This invention proposes to use laser induced melting/softening to locally reshape the form of a glass optic. The local glass densification that results induces predictable stresses that through plate deformation mechanics yield a deterministic methodology for arbitrarily reshaping an optic surface figure and wavefront without the need to remove material.

Advantages/Benefits: 

The principal advantages of this invention are:

• Deterministic methodology for arbitrarily reshaping glass optics.
• Ability to reshape spherical, planar, or other arbitrary shaped glass optics.
• Ability to correct arbitrary optic surface figure and wavefront aberrations.
• Ability to reshape an optic without removing material.
• Low cost and less time consuming than traditional optical finishing techniques.

Potential Applications: 

• Reshaping spherical, planar, or other arbitrary shaped glass optics.

• Correcting arbitrary optic surface figure and wavefront aberrations.
• Reshape an optic without removing material.

Development Status: 

Current stage of technology development:  TRL 4-5

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

U.S. Patent Application No. 2022/0176495 System and Method for Radius of Curvature Modification of Optical Plates and Lenses by Irradiation with Optical Energy published 6/9/2022

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. 

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note:  THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT.  Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Deterministic method to adjust glass optic form using controlled laser melting  should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.
2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Deterministic method to adjust glass optic form using controlled laser melting .

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA  94551-0808

Attention:   IL-13599