Metrology for precision optics

Precision optics are a guarantor for production and quality control in many different sectors of high technology. UV-lithography and micro optics for high power diode lasers (HDL) are named as examples. Optics with special shaped surface topologies are the heart of UV-lithography, which is the key technology for producing micro chips. For testing properties and quality of these, a high end metrology is needed. This also applies to micro optics, which are key factors for miniaturization of many different devices. With micro lenses or by polishing optics on fiber tips, the miniaturization is pushed in many key sectors like micro system technology, optical telecommunication or life science. Nowadays the trend goes towards aspherical optics which are difficult to manufacture and especially hard to inspect regarding their quality. The challenge of those optics is a higher effort of the metrological surface inspection.