# US 2014/0196748 A1 · Protective devices and methods for precision application of cleaning polymer to optics

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- Number: US 2014/0196748 A1
- Document ID: US20140196748A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/150,421
- Filed: 2014-01-08
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11
- Assignees: California Institute of Technology
- Applicants: California Institute of Technology
- Inventors: Margot H. PHELPS; Kaitlin E. GUSHWA; Eduardo J. SANCHEZ; Calum I. TORRIE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196748A1

## CPC

- B08B 7/0014: {by incorporation in a layer which is removed with the contaminants}
- B05B 14/30: comprising enclosures close to, or in contact with, the object to be sprayed and surrounding or confining the discharged spray or jet but not the object to be sprayed
- B29D 11/00432: {Auxiliary operations, e.g. machines for filling the moulds (B29D11/00125 takes precedence)}
- G02B 27/0006: {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)}
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

Novel devices and methods for cleaning optics are disclosed. A polymer can be sprayed onto the surface of an optic to capture contaminants. A spray cone can be used to limit the area of the polymer application. As the polymer solidifies, contaminants are captured and subsequently removed together with the polymer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method to clean optics, the method comprising:
attaching a spray cone to an optic, the spray cone delimiting an area of the optic to be sprayed;
mixing a polymer and a solvent in a desired ratio, thereby obtaining a polymer solution;
spraying the polymer solution on an area of the optic delimited by the spray cone, thereby obtaining a sprayed polymer area, the sprayed polymer area comprising a central area and an edge area;
removing the spray cone;
brushing an additional layer of the polymer solution on the edge area of the sprayed polymer area;
removing the sprayed polymer area, thereby removing contaminants from the optic; and
inspecting the optic for any remaining contaminants.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the spray cone comprises a sheet wrapped into a truncated cone shape and comprises:
a large base end;
a small base end, the small base closer to the optic than the large base;
plungers, wherein the plungers are configured to allow movement of the spray cone towards and away from the optic; and
thumb screws, wherein the thumb screws are configured to allow movement of the spray cone towards and away from the optic with a finer adjustment control than the movement allowed by the plungers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 further comprising placing a cleanroom wipe between the spray cone and the optic, the cleanroom wipe being wrapped around the edges of the small base end.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the desired ratio is 1:1 polymer to solvent ratio and wherein the polymer is a first contact polymer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the spraying the polymer solution comprises spraying more than one layer of polymer solution, and further comprising allowing the polymer solution to partially dry inbetween spraying of layers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the brushing comprises forming a piecrust shape on the edge area of the sprayed polymer area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the allowing the polymer solution to partially dry comprises a dry time of 5 minutes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a mesh tab on the sprayed polymer area before the removing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the mesh tab is a polyether ether ketone mesh tab.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the removing comprises peeling the sprayed polymer area while spraying nitrogen on the optic with an ion gun.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the inspecting comprises shining an array of flashlights onto the optic.

### Claim 12

A spray cone comprising:
a sheet wrapped into a truncated cone shape, the truncated cone shape comprising a large base end and a small base end;
plungers, wherein the plungers are configured to allow movement of the spray cone towards and away from a surface of an object; and
thumb screws, wherein the thumb screws are configured to allow movement of the spray cone towards and away from the surface with a finer adjustment control than the movement allowed by the plungers.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The spray cone of claim 12, wherein the sheet is made of a plastic material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The spray cone of claim 12, wherein the plungers are retractable spring plungers.