Sapphire complex surface optical components are extensively utilized in high-end technology and aerospace fields due to their excellent mechanical and optical properties

while the high hardness and brittleness of sapphire and the high precision requirements of complex surfaces pose great challenges to optical fabrication capabilities. The research status of grinding mechanism and key manufacturing technology of sapphire complex surface optical components were reported. Firstly

the sapphire grinding mechanism was described in terms of sapphire material properties

surface subsurface damage

tool and tool wear

energy field assistance and residual stress

then the ultra-precision grinding processing technology of deep conformal rectifier and aspheric optical components of sapphire were investigated

and finally the key technology of sapphire free-form surface ultra-precision grinding processing was summarized and prospected.