Silicon is an important material in the manufacturing of microelectronics and optical elements, its application in infrared lenses is due to its unique characteristics. However, the traditional method of fabricating it is time-consuming with inherent defects. Ultra-high precision machining has been widely used for the manufacturing of various critical products in applications where surface roughness within the range of 1 – 10 nm is required, such as infrared lenses, but achieving the surface integrity requirement is difficult. Through ultra-high precision diamond turning (UHPDT) technique using a monocrystalline diamond cutting tool at ductile–regime mode, production of freeform optics of various shapes and profiles is possible with proper selection of process parameters, tool geometry and online monitoring techniques. This paper, therefore, aims to survey the current efforts in the UHPDT of single-crystal silicon as an infrared material, the various factors affecting surface roughness, diamond tool wear measuring techniques, surface roughness and its associated metrology. At the end, challenges and prospects of UHPDT technique are discussed and some elaborate conclusions, considering the forecasted huge investments in both the optical elements and the UHP machine tools, in general, are drawn together with some suggestions on the areas that need further research for future improvements. Keywords: Silicon, infrared lenses, ultra-high precision diamond turning, surface roughness, ductile-regime, diamond tool wear.

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