Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/23055-metrigraphics-achieves-industry-leading-benchmarks-in-optical-component-fab

Metrigraphics achieves industry-leading benchmarks in optical component fab

September 24, 2014

Metrigraphics, a process development and manufacturing resource for ultra-miniature passive circuits and structures,announced it has achieved breakthrough performances on key competitive benchmarks in the fabrication of precision optical components. These benchmarks include range of products, range of technologies, feature definition (e.g., edge definition and line-width tolerance), and optical precision.

Metrigraphics achieved these results due to its advanced fabrication processes, it’s ability to design a tailor-made manufacturing process as needed for each product, and its ability to collaborate closely with customers to reduce manufacturing risks, costs, and turn times.

A partial list of the types of precision optical components Metrigraphics fabricates includes rotary discs, linear encoder scales, test targets, and reticles. For a full list of components, visit: http://www.metrigraphicsllc.com/optical-components/

With the highest degree of edge definition and with line-width tolerances of one to two microns, rotary disks and encoder scales are a good example of Metrigraphics’ superior fab performance. Disc positional accuracies of a few arc seconds and scale accuracies of up to one micron in 12 mm are possible in scales with lengths of up to two meters. To verify disc accuracy and confirm light transmission variation, Metrigraphics offers DC electrical testing and harmonic testing.

Reticles are an example of where the ability to mix a wide range of technologies (in this case, photolithography, thin-film coating and electroforming) achieves products with optimum accuracy, repeatability and precision on a wide range of materials (another key benchmark) that include glass, quartz metal and flexible polyimides.

Technology mix also comes into play in the fabrication of custom test-target designs — including an advance optical coating process and thin-film chrome metalization. Other metals include gold, copper and nickel on materials that include soda-lime glass, ceramics, quartz, silicon wafers, polyimides and plastics.