Optomechanical System #86

New issue

Open

opened 2025-08-18 13:55:58 +00:00 by rahix · 1 comment

rahix commented

2025-08-18 13:55:58 +00:00

Owner

For running optical experiments, we need a system of optomechanical components to quickly build experimental setups.

The professional solution for this is an optical table (e.g. from Thorlabs) that's mounted with vibration isolation. On its surface, it has a grid pattern of M6 threaded holes with a 25x25mm spacing. Such tables are built to be as stiff as possible to keep all optics aligned. For smaller setups, optical breadboards are available (e.g. again Thorlabs). They are surface-milled aluminum plates (usually 12.7mm thick) with the same 25x25mm grid of M6 tapped holes.

On top of these optical tables/breadboads, the optics for the experiment are mounted using various mounts. There are some fixed mounts, but most optics need precise alignment and are thus placed into kinematic mounts which have adjusters to fine-tune the horizontal and vertical alignment (e.g. Thorlabs).

These optic mounts then get attached to the table using posts. They are simply cylindrical connection pieces where the optic mount is attached on top and a clamp firmly attaches the bottom of the post to the table in any location (e.g. Thorlabs).

As proper components are pretty expensive, we are looking to build our own system. This will definitely have worse performance but we hope that it may still be good enough for our low-demand applications and be available at a fraction of the cost.

Project Homepage in the Wiki

For running optical experiments, we need a system of optomechanical components to quickly build experimental setups. The professional solution for this is an optical table (e.g. from [Thorlabs](https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=7091)) that's mounted with vibration isolation. On its surface, it has a grid pattern of M6 threaded holes with a 25x25mm spacing. Such tables are built to be as stiff as possible to keep all optics aligned. For smaller setups, optical breadboards are available (e.g. again [Thorlabs](https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=159)). They are surface-milled aluminum plates (usually 12.7mm thick) with the same 25x25mm grid of M6 tapped holes. On top of these optical tables/breadboads, the optics for the experiment are mounted using various mounts. There are some fixed mounts, but most optics need precise alignment and are thus placed into _kinematic mounts_ which have adjusters to fine-tune the horizontal and vertical alignment (e.g. [Thorlabs](https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=1492)). These optic mounts then get attached to the table using _posts_. They are simply cylindrical connection pieces where the optic mount is attached on top and a clamp firmly attaches the bottom of the post to the table in any location (e.g. [Thorlabs](https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=10491)). --- As proper components are pretty expensive, we are looking to build our own system. This will definitely have worse performance but we hope that it may still be good enough for our low-demand applications and be available at a fraction of the cost. - [Project Homepage in the Wiki](https://wiki.fa-fo.de/projects:optomech)

rahix added the

Type

Development

label 2025-08-18 13:55:58 +00:00

forgejo-actions commented

2025-08-18 13:56:07 +00:00

Partial Techtree

flowchart BT

    classDef eoi fill:#fff, stroke:#000, color:#000;
    classDef dependant fill:#fff, stroke:#888, color:#888;
    classDef dep_missing fill:#fcc, stroke:#800, color:#000;
    classDef dep_assigned fill:#ffa, stroke:#a50, color:#000;
    classDef dep_completed fill:#afa, stroke:#080, color:#000;
    0:::eoi
    0["<a href='https://git.fa-fo.de/fafo/techtree/issues/86' target='_blank'>#86</a> | ASSIGNED\n<i>Development</i>\n<b>Optomechanical System</b>"]
    1:::dependant
    1["<a href='https://git.fa-fo.de/fafo/techtree/issues/81' target='_blank'>#81</a> | MISSING\n<i>Process</i>\n<b>Interferometry</b>"]
    1 --> 0

Digest: 58c9e38f9327f8baa1919f667f3d68f4d7ed4a836488ca3e864b06286b1de06c; Last Updated: 2025-08-18 14:00:58

## Partial Techtree ```mermaid flowchart BT classDef eoi fill:#fff, stroke:#000, color:#000; classDef dependant fill:#fff, stroke:#888, color:#888; classDef dep_missing fill:#fcc, stroke:#800, color:#000; classDef dep_assigned fill:#ffa, stroke:#a50, color:#000; classDef dep_completed fill:#afa, stroke:#080, color:#000; 0:::eoi 0["<a href='https://git.fa-fo.de/fafo/techtree/issues/86' target='_blank'>#86</a> | ASSIGNED\nDevelopment\nOptomechanical System"] 1:::dependant 1["<a href='https://git.fa-fo.de/fafo/techtree/issues/81' target='_blank'>#81</a> | MISSING\nProcess\nInterferometry"] 1 --> 0 ``` Digest: 58c9e38f9327f8baa1919f667f3d68f4d7ed4a836488ca3e864b06286b1de06c; Last Updated: 2025-08-18 14:00:58

rahix added a new dependency 2025-08-18 13:56:15 +00:00

#81 Interferometry

rahix self-assigned this 2025-08-18 13:58:07 +00:00