Shape correction of optical surfaces using plasma chemical vaporization machining with a hemispherical tip electrode.

We propose a plasma chemical vaporization machining device with a hemispherical tip electrode for optical fabrication. Radio-frequency plasma is generated close to the electrode under atmospheric conditions, and a workpiece is scanned relative to the stationary electrode under three-axis motion control to remove target areas on a workpiece surface. Experimental results demonstrate that surface removal progresses although process gas is not forcibly supplied to the plasma.

Removal characteristics of plasma chemical vaporization machining with a pipe electrode for optical fabrication.

Plasma chemical vaporization machining (CVM) is a high-precision chemical shaping method using rf plasma generated in the proximity of an electrode in an atmospheric environment. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the removal characteristics of plasma CVM using a pipe electrode. Polished fused silica plates were processed by plasma CVM, polishing, and precision grinding under various conditions.

Fabrication of ultrathin and highly uniform silicon on insulator by numerically controlled plasma chemical vaporization machining.

Metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer operate faster and at a lower power than those fabricated on a bulk silicon wafer. Scaling down, which improves their performances, demands thinner SOI wafers. In this article, improvement on the thinning of SOI wafers by numerically controlled plasma chemical vaporization machining (PCVM) is described.

Fabrication of small complex-shaped optics by plasma chemical vaporization machining with a microelectrode.

We have developed plasma chemical vaporization machining by using a microelectrode for the fabrication of small complex-shaped optical surfaces. In this method, a 0.5 mm diameter pipe microelectrode, from which processing gas is drawn in, generates a small localized plasma that is scanned over a workpiece under numerical computer control to shape a desired surface.

Wave-optical evaluation of interference fringes and wavefront phase in a hard-x-ray beam totally reflected by mirror optics.

The intensity flatness and wavefront shape in a coherent hard-x-ray beam totally reflected by flat mirrors that have surface bumps modeled by Gaussian functions were investigated by use of a wave-optical simulation code. Simulated results revealed the necessity for peak-to-valley height accuracy of better than 1 nm at a lateral resolution near 0.1 mm to remove high-contrast interference fringes and appreciable wavefront phase errors.

Element array by scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy after cis-diamminedichloro-platinum(II) treatment.

Minerals are important for cellular functions, such as transcription and enzyme activity, and are also involved in the metabolism of anticancer chemotherapeutic compounds. Profiling of intracellular elements in individual cells could help in understanding the mechanism of drug resistance in tumors and possibly provide a new strategy of anticancer chemotherapy. Using a recently developed technique of scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy (SXFM), we analyzed intracellular elements after treatment with cis-diamminedichloro-platinum(II) (CDDP), a platinum-based anticancer agent.

Image quality improvement in a hard X-ray projection microscope using total reflection mirror optics.

A new figure correction method has been applied in order to fabricate an elliptical mirror to realize a one-dimensionally diverging X-ray beam having high image quality. Mutual relations between figure errors and intensity uniformities of diverging X-ray beams have also been investigated using a wave-optical simulator and indicate that figure errors in relatively short spatial wavelength ranges lead to high-contrast interference fringes. By using a microstitching interferometer and elastic emission machining, figure correction of an elliptical mirror with a lateral resolution close to 0.

Nearly diffraction-limited line focusing of a hard-X-ray beam with an elliptically figured mirror.

An elliptical mirror for X-ray microfocusing was manufactured using the new fabrication methods of elastic emission machining and plasma chemical vaporization machining. Surface profiles measured using stitching interferometry showed a maximum deviation around the ideal figure of 7 nm peak-to-valley. The mirror showed nearly diffraction-limited focusing performance, with a 200 nm line width at the focus.

Fabrication of optics by use of plasma chemical vaporization machining with a pipe electrode.

We figure optical surfaces by plasma chemical vaporization machining (CVM) with a pipe electrode, in which an rf plasma generated at the electrode tip under approximately atmospheric pressure moves over the surfaces. We propose a shaping method in which the movement of plasma on the surfaces can be determined. Flat and aspheric surfaces are successfully figured with the desired peak-to-valley shape accuracy of 0.