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Innovative
Technology


Momentum's award-winning technology is based on two innovations.  First, we use laser-chemical machining where a laser heats a liquid etchant to accelerate a reaction with a glass workpiece.  This method removes material without making physical contact with the glass.  No grinding.  No polishing.   Just an ultra-smooth surface finish.

Second, an in-tool sensor capable of nanometer resolution provides real-time surface measurements.  We use the sensor for closed-loop feedback control of the laser enabling high machining precision and fast material removal. 


<0.5 nm
RMS SURFACE ROUGHNESS

1000X

HIGHER MATERIAL REMOVAL RATES
THAN LASER ABLATION

<2 min

TO RECEIVE A QUOTE

<0.25 μm
FIGURE ERROR FOR ASPHERES AND FREEFORMS

Clear Advantages

Laser-chemical machining is the next evolution in optics manufacturing

Super Polished

Laser-chemical fabrication is completely non-contact.  The method produces no scratches, digs, or subsurface damage.  

Our optics have best-in-class surface roughness, whether we're talking flats, aspheres, or even freeforms.  That's right.  Super-polished freeforms.  

We've demonstrated exceptional quality using white-light interferometry, laser scanning confocal microscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM).   Fused silica (Corning 7980) has surface roughness as low as 0.25 nm RMS.  Other glasses such as N-BK7 (Schott), and newly demonstrated, high index,  Lanthanum flints also exhibit this same low roughness.



Complex Geometries

Non-rotationally symmetric optics are just one strength of laser-chemical fabrication.  We can fabricate novel shapes limited only by your imagination.  Options include:

  • Freeforms
  • Aspheres (large spherical departures and "gullwings")
  • Cylinders
  • Toroids
  • Off-axis parabolas
  • Lens arrays
  • Diffusers
  • Phase Masks

The designs can become more radical when we combine distinct optical functions into a single monolithic component—such as hybridizing a freeform surface with a diffuser, or engineering lens arrays with varying focal lengths for individual lenslets.   

By pairing traditional laser machining with chemical fabrication, we streamline downstream assembly. We can directly machine precision datums, fiducials, mounting holes, and alignment grooves into the substrate to simplify assembly. 


Laser Damage Resistance

Independently verified high laser damage resistance

We are developing a body of research demonstrating exceptional laser damage resistance.   Independent tests by Spica Technologies and AmeriCOM show no laser damage for high fluences at low wavelengths (320 nm) or for continuous wave irradiation further out in the spectrum (1070 nm).



Empowering Innovative Products


The Challenge

Quickly bringing optics-enabled product to market is a challenge given the high cost of prototyping, the slow turn-around in receiving custom optics, and the difficulty of ramping up production to meet the demands of a changing market.


Solution

Momentum Optics can meet your needs using innovative laser-chemical manufacturing that enables cost-effective, high-quality, super-fast-turnaround optics.

✔ Rapid,  affordable, optics manufacturing

✔ Precision laser glass cutting

✔ Optical coating services

✔ Prototype to scale with full project lifecycle support

✔ Manage project budget with small- or large-scale ordering. Absolutely no minimum order quantities (MOQ)

✔ Custom digital manufacturing tools give you full control and rapid turnaround on quotes and ordering

Radical form factors

We leverage the latest technology to tackle modern challenges.  Freeform optics for AR glasses and  heads-up-displays is one example.

Custom Solutions

We have a range of materials enabling quick production of optics for aberration-corrected imaging systems.  

Rapid Turnaround

We can help you iterate fast!  In some cases, we can turn around optics in days.  Our solutions will keep you ahead of the curve from cutting edge quantum devices to space-based sensors.


Rapid Delivery

Custom optics have notoriously long lead times.  A two month wait is common especially for challenging optics like freeforms.   However, today's product design cycles are being compressed from 1-2 years to 3-4 months often placing optics on the critical path to market entry.  Now there is a better, faster path forward.  We don't measure delivery time in months.  In many cases, we can deliver precision optics in days.  Ultra-fast.  No Compromises.

Affordable

Custom optics are expensive which places them out of reach for some projects or forces designers to use ultra-conservative designs to avoid iterating on prototypes.   Momentum's digital manufacturing platform and underlying technology overcome the cost/time/performance barrier - we like to think of it as one-offs without the trade-offs. 

Why Glass?

Glass offers numerous advantages compared to plastic materials:

  • Broader Selection.  Materials with a wider range of refractive index and Abbe number
  • Environmental resilience.  More durable and scratch-resistant
  • Temperature tolerance.  Lower coefficient of thermal expansion and less temperature-induced changes to refractive index


Capabilities

Materials

Fused Silica is our go-to material.  Schott, CDGM and Corning glasses are available.  Zerodur ultra low-expansion ceramic is coming soon.  

Geometries

Laser-chemical Processing: Freeforms and highly aspheric surfaces, cylinders, phase masks and plates, lens arrays, diffusers, beam-shaping optics, collimators, and multi-aperture optics 

Laser Processing Holes, notches, through glass vias (TGV), texturing, and scribing of glass, metals, and ceramics.   

Services

Optical and mechanical design.  Part assembly.  Custom flat-top generators are a core competency.

Diameter

Edge diameter (mechanical diameter) from 2-25 mm.  Clear aperture diameter 0.5-25 mm.  As a percentage of the edge diameter, a  clear aperture of nearly 99% is possible for most optics.

Coatings

 AR coatings 250-12000 nm, HR 350-20000 nm of parts 2 mm to 370 mm in diameter.  We can also do custom coatings.

Lead Time

 Accelerated turn around as fast as 5 days for in-stock materials


For a complete list of Tolerances, Coatings, and Materials, please refer to the Resources page.