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Soniscan® 14-4 Critical Cleaning System

A vacuum coating can only be as good as the surface to which it is applied. The Soniscan® line of aqueous cleaning systems has been developed to deliver lens surfaces that are absolutely contamination-free. Available with single (as shown), dual, and even triple ultrasonic wash stages, the system is versatile enough to also be used for post-polish and wax or paint removal, while still delivering pre-evaporative-coat lens quality.

Spot-free rinsing and drying is achieved using on-board DI regeneration facilities to ensure the availability of high-purity, hot DI water, in copious quantities, but with almost no waste. The rinse/capillary-dry stage is followed by Interlab's patented HEPA dryer.

See our Soniscan® page for more details on this versatile critical cleaning system.

Hubble Space Telescope

Interlab's experience with Precision pre-AR cleaning equipment design, has embraced substrates ranging in size from the diminutive intra-ocular lens to the 250 cm. reflector of the Hubble Space Telescope. For the latter project, it was recognized by all concerned that even the smallest speck of dust left on the surface of the optic, would result in the obliteration of images from a truly vast area of the Cosmos. Yet the enormous size of the reflector precluded any possibility of immersion into a series of cleaning, rinsing and drying chambers.  So since the optic could not be taken to an immersion-type cleaning system, a means had to be devised whereby the cleaning system could be taken to the optic. That was the consultant's task, and Interlab was selected as the consultant to undertake that task.

The photographs hereto, illustrate the solution devised by Interlab for performing the complete washing, rinsing and drying functions, dispensing all fluids through a rotating spray-wand array.  After a pre-cleaning cycle to fully de-contaminate the rotating dispensing assembly itself, heated washing and 180F ultra-pure rinsing fluids were applied in succession to the optic's surface until a "sheet-off" condition of the rinse-water was achieved. Then, after first drying out the dispensing assembly itself, hot ultra-pure nitrogen was applied to the surface through the rotating array, until no trace of moisture remained on the optic. The Washing, rinsing and drying process, took five days to complete and used 2,400 gallons of ultra-pure water.