Athermal bond thickness for axisymmetric optical elements

Tutorial by Eric Frater

 Introduction
• Motivations r
r z
– Survival of optics 𝜃
– Survival of bond
– Performance of optics
• Concerns
– Thermal stress
• Radial stress
• Shear stresses
– Glass distortion
 Example design
• Cell: Aluminum 6061-T6
• Optic: Schott N-BK7
• Adhesives:
– MG chemicals RTV 566
– 3M 2216 B/A (gray)
• Design:
– Bond provides constraint
– Uniform and continuous bond-line
– Zero-strain in materials at nominal
bonding temp
 Material constants
Required: Subscript notation: αc
“c”: cell rc
αb > αc > αo “b”: bond
or αb
“o”: optic
αb = αc = αo αo
ro
MATERIAL α(ppm/°C) Poisson ratio, ν E (Gpa)

N-BK7 7.1 .21 82

6061-T6 24 .33 69
2216 B/A (gray)[1] 102 ~.43 69
RTV 566 200 ~.499 ~.003

Quick note: 2216 B/A and RTV 566 very different adhesives. As seen in the table,
RTV compliance highly dependent on aspect ratio of bond.

[1] Yoder, Paul R. Mounting Optics in Optical Instruments

 Bayar equation
• Consider positive ΔT in example design
𝜃 r z
r
• Assume bond only radially constrained
• Require:

ΔT ΔT

(Bayar equation[2])
Note: This vastly over-predicts thickness, neglects ν
[2] Bayar, Mete. “Lens Barrel Optomechanical
Example: h= 2.75mm (2216 B/A), h= 1.22mm (RTV 566) Design Principles”
 Radial strain and Hooke’s Law
• From Bayar equation (valid in all cases):

• Radial stress from Hooke’s Law:

Athermalizing:
– Define εr and εθ
– Set radial stress equal to zero (pre-factor drops out)
– Solve for athermal bond thickness h
 Van Bezooijen equation
• Assume bond is perfectly constrained 𝜃 r z
in r, z, θ r

• Solving for σr=0,

.
ΔT ΔT

(van Bezooijen
equation[3])

Note: This under-predicts thickness, neglects axial bulging of

bond [3] Van Bezooijen, Roel. “Soft Retained AST Optics”
Example: h= 1.03mm (2216 B/A), h= 0.40mm (RTV 566)
 Modified van Bezooijen equation
• Assume bond is perfectly constrained 𝜃 r z
in r, θ and unconstrained in z r

• Solving for σr=0,

. ΔT ΔT

(modified van Bezooijen

equation[4])
Note: This over-predicts thickness, allows excessive axial
bulging [4] Monti, Christpher L. “Athermal bonded mounts:
Example: h= 1.50mm (2216 B/A), h= 0.60mm (RTV 566) Incorporating aspect ratio into a closed-form solution”
 Aspect ratio
• Aspect ratio and axial constraint:
– Part of bond expands freely in z
– Middle section is perfectly
constrained in z
𝐿 z
– Modifies the axial strain 𝑅𝑎𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 =
h r

)( )
𝛼 𝑜 + 𝛼𝑐
(
𝜀𝑧 =∆ 𝑇 1−
h
𝐿
𝛼𝑏 −
2 h=
𝑟 𝑜 ( 𝛼𝑐 −𝛼 𝑜)
.

)( )
𝛼 𝑜 +𝛼𝑐
𝛼𝑏 −𝛼 𝑐 +
𝜈
1 −𝜈(2−
h
𝐿
𝛼𝑏 −
2

Unconstrained in z Varies from 1-2 between

if h=L limits of van Bezooijen eq.’s
 Closed-form aspect ratio approximation
𝜃 r z
r

ΔT ΔT
(Aspect ratio approximation[4])

Note: Provides a best-guess for h in closed-form

[4] Monti, Christpher L. “Athermal bonded mounts:
Example: h= 1.13mm (2216 B/A), h= 0.41mm (RTV 566) Incorporating aspect ratio into a closed-form solution”
 Conclusions
• Bayar equation THICKNESS EQUATION 2216 B/A RTV 566
Bayar 2.75 mm 1.22 mm
– Good conceptual starting point
van Bezooijen 1.03 mm 0.40 mm
– Tends to vastly over-estimate h Modified van Bezooijen 1.50 mm 0.60 mm
– Applicable to highly segmented Aspect ratio approximation 1.13 mm 0.41 mm

bonds
• Van Bezooijen equation
– Takes all strains into account
– Much more accurate than Bayar eq.
– Under-predicts h due to bulk effects
• Aspect ratio approximation
– Approximates varying bulk effects due to aspect ratio of bond
– Matches empirical FEA-derived corrections to van Bezooijen eq. well for
>4 and ν
[5] Michels, Gregory, and Keith Doyle. “Finite
Element Modeling of Nearly Incompressible Bonds”
 References
1. Yoder, Paul R. Mounting Optics in Optical Instruments, 2nd ed. SPIE Press
Monograph Vol. PM181 (2008), p. 732.
2. Bayar, Mete. “Lens Barrel Optomechanical Design Principles”, Optical
Engineering. Vol. 20 No. 2 (April 1981)
3. Van Bezooijen, Roel. “Soft Retained AST Optics” Lockheed Martin
Technical Memo
4. Monti, Christpher L. “Athermal bonded mounts: Incorporating aspect
ratio into a closed-form solution”, SPIE 6665, 666503 (2007)
5. Michels, Gregory, and Keith Doyle. “Finite Element Modeling of Nearly
Incompressible Bonds”, SPIE 4771, 287 (2002)