ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces different methods and approaches for classical cleaning and precision cleaning. Plasma cleaning processes have turned out to be suitable for the removal of carbonaceous surface contaminants such as hydrocarbons, represented by residues from cleaning agents or adsorbed from the ambient air. Precision cleaning of glass surfaces can also be performed by dry-ice blasting. High-precision cleaning is applied in order to increase the laser-induced damage threshold of laser optics. Surface and subsurface contaminations may have a severe impact on the final functionality and further processing of optical components. The negative pressure regions of these waves give rise to the formation of small cavities on the work piece surface, which are then condensed by subsequently incident high-pressure amplitudes of the ultrasonic wave. The underlying mechanisms during ultrasonic cleaning are a chemical decomposition of surface-adherent contaminants and a mechanical impact by locally induced pressure.
