Etching of water-sensitive optics with water-in-oil emulsions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11740454-B2
Application number	US-201816954990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2018
Priority date	Mar 26, 2018
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

In one inventive concept, a method for etching an optic includes obtaining a microemulsion, where the microemulsion includes a continuous oil phase, a surfactant system comprising at least one surfactant, and water, submerging at least a portion of the optic in the microemulsion, and agitating by ultrasonication the microemulsion for etching the optic submerged therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for etching an optic, the method comprising:
obtaining a microemulsion, wherein the microemulsion comprises a continuous oil phase, a surfactant system comprising at least one surfactant, and water;
submerging at least a portion of the optic in the microemulsion; and
agitating by ultrasonication the microemulsion for etching the optic submerged therein.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion comprises an effective amount of the surfactant system to disperse the water in the continuous oil phase.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion is a water-in-oil emulsion.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the continuous oil phase is present in the microemulsion in a range of about 60 wt % to about 90 wt % relative to a total weight of the microemulsion.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the continuous oil phase is present in the microemulsion in a range of about 70 wt % to about 85 wt % relative to a total weight of the microemulsion.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant system is present in the microemulsion in a range of about 10 wt % to about 40 wt % relative to a total weight of the microemulsion.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant system is present in the microemulsion in a range of about 13 wt % to about 29 wt % relative to a total weight of the microemulsion.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the water is present in the microemulsion in a range of greater than 0 wt % to about 10 wt % relative to total weight of the microemulsion.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant system comprises the surfactant and a co-surfactant, wherein a ratio by weight of the surfactant to the co-surfactant is 3:2.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the co-surfactant is a n-alcohol.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the water is deuterated water (D 2 O).

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion is in a single isotropic phase.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the continuous oil phase is a nonpolar aprotic solvent.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the continuous oil phase comprises a component selected from the group consisting of: toluene and cyclohexane.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one surfactant includes a nonionic surfactant.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant system comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene glycol tert-octylphenyl ether and polyoxyethylene (5) nonylphenylether.

17. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonication has a frequency in a range of about 20 kHz to about 300 kHz.

18. A system for etching an optic, the system comprising:
a chamber;
a solution in the chamber, wherein the solution is a microemulsion comprising a continuous oil phase, at least one surfactant, and water; and
an ultrasonic device, wherein the ultrasonic device is configured to agitate the solution in the chamber.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 , wherein the ultrasonic device provides a frequency in a range of about 20 kHz to about 300 kHz.

20. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a mass ratio of the surfactant system to the water is in a range of about 4:1 to about 14:1.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Baxamusa Salmaan H
• Adams John
• Ehrmann Paul
• Laurence Ted
• Menor Marlon G
• Schaffers Kathleen I

Classifications

• G02B27/0006 Primary

  with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B) · CPC title

• B06B1/02

  making use of electrical energy (B06B1/18, B06B1/20 take precedence) · CPC title

• C09K13/00

  Etching, surface-brightening or pickling compositions (for glass C03C15/00, {C03C25/66; for mortars, concrete, artificial or natural stone or ceramics C04B41/5338}; for metallic material C23F, C23G1/00, C25F1/00; {for semi-conductors H10P52/40}) · CPC title

• B06B2201/70

  Specific application · CPC title