Effects of flame plasma process parameters on surface roughness of fused silica

Fused silica optical materials are widely used in lithography and fusion devices due to their excellent radiation resistance, UV transparency, and high laser damage threshold. However, their high hardness and brittleness lead to surface/subsurface damage during grinding. Traditional processing methods struggle to meet increasing precision demands. Plasma processing has emerged as a research focus for achieving high precision, superior surface quality, and efficient damage-free fabrication. Flame plasma processing offers a promising alternative to conventional grinding and polishing for improving surface roughness. This study investigates flame plasma processing of ground fused silica, examining the effects of gas flow rate, processing distance, processing time, and heating stage temperature on surface roughness. We analyzed the synergistic effects of these parameters on roughness evolution and achieved a minimum surface roughness (Ra) of 13.549nm post-processing. The findings provide practical guidance for optimizing process parameters in precision optical component manufacturing.