Work

Surface finishing of additively manufactured aspherical lenses using vacuum-shaped PVC thin films

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The surface finish of both refractive and reflective optics constitutes a critical parameter that manufacturers must carefully address. A major limitation arises when optical elements are fabricated through additive manufacturing, as the layer-by-layer deposition process produces a characteristic "staircase effect" on the surface. To overcome this challenge, we propose a vacuum-shaped polyvinyl chloride (PVC) thin-film technique to eliminate the staircase effect and achieve high-quality surface finishing of additively manufactured optics. This approach offers the advantages of reduced post-processing time, lower fabrication costs, and scalable production. The results of the surface profilometry measurements revealed differences between the theoretical and the post-processed lenses of ≤ 14.5 µm in RMS and 63.3 µm in PV. Surface roughness measurements yielded Ra values ≤ 7.13 ± 2.07 nm. Furthermore, wavefront measurements showed differences of ≤11.6 µm in RMS and ≤64.2 in PV between the glass and resin lenses. The proposed method provides an accessible post-processing alternative for enhancing the optical quality of additively manufactured lenses, with potential applications in cost-efficient imaging systems and assistive visual technologies.

Source: Optics Express

DOI: 10.1364/oe.611710

Authors: Daniel Aguirre-Aguirre, Brenda Villalobos-Mendoza, Jorge de Jesús Alvarado-Martínez, Manuel Campos-García

Institutions: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, University of Monterrey

Language: English

Topic: Advanced optical system design

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,270

Funder: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México