One qualitative feature of products in the optics industry is surface cleanliness. Only extremely clean surfaces can be used when refining or coating optical substrates.
LASER COMPONENTS can, therefore, look upon the acquisition of its ultrasonic cleaning system for optics with pride. This cleaning system is a multi-frequency system that operates in the range from 30 kHz to 120 kHz. With this system even sensitive optical substrates can be cleaned gently.
From this point on, all optics coated inhouse go through (prior to further processing) the nine-step cleaning process with both diluted and 100% chemical solutions. Substrates delivered to us in the past which had to be refused due to residual polishing agents can now also be cleaned inhouse. This has proven beneficial to delivery time and planning reliability.
Excellent Quality and Speed
Continuous cycles provide for even more constant results in production. Due to high operational capacity, the speed of processing has increased enormously. Depending on the dimensions of the substrates, a large amount of them can be cleaned simultaneously in up to nine baskets. These nine immersion baths have a holding capacity of 60 liters each in which substrates of 10 mm to 8" can be processed.
High Degree of Automation
For the most precise regulation possible, the cleaning and subsequent infrared drying processes are controlled and monitored using an SPC. Loading and unloading occur automatically, just as transportation within the machine does as well. This system is completely closed. Flow boxes inside the machine create excess pressure which, in turn, provides for a particle-free environment. Through this clean environment optics can be sent without further treatment to the coating chamber, where they subsequently undergo a 100% final inspection.
Periphery
Another way to guarantee extreme cleanliness in this system is through periphery devices such as filter aggregates or even a complex water conditioning unit, which can be seen on the right-hand side of the photo. They provide for both environmentally friendly and economically sound cleaning processes.
