Methods of cleaning optical substrates

Abstract

Described are methods for processing optical materials, by use of cleaning materials that include acid and oxidizer.

1 . A method of removing non-photosensitive polymeric organic material from an optical substrate surface, the method comprising contacting the non-photosensitive polymeric organic material and the optical substrate surface with a cleaning material comprising oxidizer and acid.  
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the organic material comprises an organic contaminant.  
   
   
       4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the organic material comprises a residue from an adhesive.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the adhesive is blocking wax.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the optical substrate is selected from the group consisting of a mirror, a waveguide, an optical filter, a lens, a polarizer, a prism, and a beam splitter.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the optical substrate is selected from the group consisting of a ball lens, a gradient index lens, a waveguide optical amplifier, a glass-based passive splitter, a lithium niobate modulator, and a ruled grating.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the acid is sulfuric acid.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the acid is concentrated sulfuric acid.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oxidizer is hydrogen peroxide having a concentration in the range from 25 to 50 percent by weight.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the acid comprises sulfuric acid and the oxidizer comprises hydrogen peroxide.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning material comprises a volume ratio of acid (anhydrous) to oxidizer (anhydrous) in the range from 3:1 to 10:1.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  comprising contacting the optical substrate surface with the cleaning material by immersing the optical component in the cleaning material.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the cleaning material is at a temperature in the range from 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning material is at a temperature in the range from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  
   
   
       17 . A method of removing organic adhesive from an optical substrate, the method comprising 
 providing an optical substrate having organic adhesive material on a surface,    providing an oxidizer,    providing an acid,    combining the oxidizer and acid to provide a cleaning material, and    immersing the optical substrate in the cleaning material.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14   claim 17  wherein the optical substrate surface is immersed in the cleaning material for a time in the range from 30 seconds to 60 minutes.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the cleaning material is at a temperature in the range from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein 
 the organic material is an organic thermoplastic adhesive,    the oxidizer is aqueous hydrogen peroxide having a concentration in the range from 25 to 50 percent by weight,    the acid is concentrated sulfuric acid, and    the oxidizer and acid are combined in a ratio of from 3:1 to 5:1 acid (anhydrous) to oxidizer (anhydrous) solids.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  comprising heating the cleaning material to a temperature in the range from 140 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the cleaning material is at a temperature in the range from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  
   
   
       23 - 25 . (canceled)  
   
   
       26 . A method of removing non-photosensitive polymeric organic material from an optical substrate, the method comprising contacting the optical substrate with a cleaning material comprising oxidizer and acid, wherein the organic material comprises a residue from an adhesive and the adhesive is blocking wax.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the optical substrate is selected from the group consisting of a mirror, a waveguide, an optical filter, a lens, a polarizer, a prism, and a beam splitter.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the optical substrate is selected from the group consisting of a ball lens, a gradient index lens, a waveguide optical amplifier, a glass-based passive splitter, a lithium niobate modulator, and a ruled grating.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the acid is sulfuric acid.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the acid is concentrated sulfuric acid.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the oxidizer is hydrogen peroxide having a concentration in the range from 25 to 50 percent by weight.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the acid comprises sulfuric acid and the oxidizer comprises hydrogen peroxide.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the cleaning material comprises a volume ratio of acid (anhydrous) to oxidizer (anhydrous) in the range from 3:1 to 10:1.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 26  comprising contacting the optical substrate surface with the cleaning material by immersing the optical component in the cleaning material.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the cleaning material is at a temperature in the range from 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.