Element Six Gmbh

Paulus Adrianus Cornelis Kriele

Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook

Christopher John Howard Wort

Herman Philip Godfried

Evert Pieter Houwman

Mark Robin McClymont

Gerrit Jan Pels

Johannes Cornelis Lamers

Bartholomeus Mathias Van Oerle

Paulus Geradus Hendricus Maria Spaay

Wilhelmus Gerarda Maria Nelissen

A single crystal diamond element having a convex surface is disclosed, the convex surface including a spherical segment for which the maximum peak to valley deviation from a perfect spherical surface is less than about 5 &#x3bc;m. Alternatively or in addition, the RMS deviation from a perfect spherical surface may be less than about 500 nm, or the RMS roughness less than about 30 nm. A single crystal diamond element with a radius of curvature less than about 20 mm is also disclosed. In one aspect a single crystal diamond element having a conical half-angle greater than about 10&#xb0; is described. The invention also provides a method for forming a rotationally symmetrical surface on a single crystal diamond element, comprising rotating the element about a first axis, applying a laser beam to the element in a direction perpendicular to the first axis, and translating the laser beam in two dimensions in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the beam. If the two-dimensional path follows the arc of a circle a spherical surface may be formed. The invention also provides improving a spherical surface on a single crystal diamond element by pressing a rapidly rotating cup onto a slowly rotating element. The element may be a lens, in particular a solid immersion lens.

Single crystal diamond elements having convex surfaces and methods of its fabrication

Growing community of inventors

Mill, Netherlands

Paulus Adrianus Cornelis Kriele