Know-how


  • Grinding
  • Precision optical polishing
  • Optical contacting using molecular adherence
  • Interferometry
  • cementing

    • Products


  • Image Slicers
  • Aspheres
  • Fabry-Perot interferometers









    • Grinding


    WINLIGHT is equipped with modern and traditional technologies such as :

  • CNC milling machines driven using computer assisted fabrication software,
  • generator,
  • electric and manual machines, for holes and diameter rectification, ...

    This means we can carry out complex parts including lightened mirrors.



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    Precision optical polishing (traditionnal and Computer-Controlled-Polishing)


    Our manufacturing optical workshop(500m ² air-conditioned) offers technical achievements based on the traditional polishing and CCP (Computer-Controled-Polishing) : deterministic processes are used on daily basis in commom with "old" technics with skilled polishers (some of them ahve more than 30 years of expererience in the field)

    All the processes are developped in the company by our engineers which work as to a permanent optimization depending of the projects.

    We realize different kind of components such as :

  • mirrors : flat, spherical, on-axis and off-axis aspherical,
  • lenses, prisms, windows,
  • toroidal and cylindrical mirrors,
  • very thin plates, crossed echelettes interferometers, image slicers
  • spherical and free-form moulds
  • ...

    • machine de polissage traditionnel machine de polissage traditionnel


    We can polish a variety of materials such as :

  • optical glasses (Schott, Ohara, ...)
  • low expansion materials : silica, Zerodur, ULE, ...
  • crystals : silicon, Calcium Fluorine (CaF2), BaF2, ...
  • ceramics : SiC;
  • infra-red materials : ZnSe, Germanium, Silicon, ...
  • metals : copper, aluminium, stainless steel, steel, invar, ...
  • plastics : PMMA, ...


    The accuracies obtained will depend on the shape and size of the piece to be realized but typical values of 2 to 10 nm RMS are obtained (information upon request). Each specification provided by our customers is analyzed in advance, including the integration as soon as the offer of the accuracy necessary in terms of control: one cannot manufacture a piece that we do not know how to inspect! This is why, WINLIGHT has powerful means of control to guarantee to our customers the expected performance.


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    Assembling using optical contacting


    For components used in difficult environment where assemblies or glues are prohibited, we use daily different techniques of molecular adhesion to clarify extremes positioning .



    Echelettes assemblées par adhérence moléculaire
    Assembling of silica slices using optical contacting with angle accuracy of 10 arcsec.
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    Metrology using interférometry


    All our projects are managed according to ISO9001 quality assurance norm. The compliance of each piece is verified at each step of the manufacturing process and at the end prior to delivery.

    The optical pieces are all fully inspected and an inspection report is supplied at delivery.

    Our inspection lab is using high performance instruments :

  • 4 ZYGO interferometers (3 ZYGO Xp-Hr)
  • 1 3D ZYGO New-View profilometer
  • Autocollimation sights
  • Radius measurement bench
  • Anti-vibration tables
  • Measuring tunnel
  • ...

    • interférogramme interféromètre ZYGO interférogramme
    one of our 4 ZYGO interferometers


    Cementing


    WINLIGHT realizes optical cementing with structural optical cement, UV glue, silicones using specific alignment benches for centering. Our climatic test chambers (see WINLIGHT SYSTEM) are used to check the durability and resistance of the cemented parts.

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    Image Slicers


    Winlight is a leading company for Image Slicer realization whatever the design.

    Indeed, with the LAM (Laboratoire d'Astronomie de Marseille), WINLIGHT has developped a new technology of realization adapted to serial production of image slicer with cost and time savings. Its technology has been validated by the CRAL (Observatoire de Lyon) for the realization of the prototype of the MUSE slicer. This technology is suitable for the next generation of instruments of the giant telescopes (E-ELT, GMT, TMT...)

    You can download here the SPIE 2008 poster about the technology .

    This process has been patented with CNRS. Click here to request quotes by email

    		prototype slicer forSNAPP
    prototype slicer Muse


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    Aspheres


    Winlight manufactures aspherical optics (on-axis and off-axis). With our technology, we can polish off-axis mirrors without using mother parabola (for instance). We can also provide metallic aspherical diamond turned mirrors with postpolishing. All our mirrors are optically inspected using null lens configuration set-ups.



    		miroir aspherique hors d'axe
    miroir aspherique allégé
    Aspherical lightened metallic mirror


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    Fabry-Perot interferometers


    Interféromètre de fabry-Pérot

    Our team, with the expertise of the famous polisher Gerard Ancourt, is manufacturing very high performance fabry-Perot interferometer upon request at our saclay site. These interfereometer are realized by optical contacting and have been already used for space applications.



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