Figures:

Fig. 1____
Close up view of the Angele - Ed White
"old" polishing machine (click on the image to enlarge)

Fig. 2____
View of the "new" Stanford polishing machine
after modification (click on the image to enlarge).

Fig. 3____
Three types of laps.
L to R: brass lap, phenolic lap for the old machine and pitch lap
for the new machine, (click on the image to enlarge).

Fig. 4____
Instrument for measurement of a sphere diameter, (click on the image to enlarge).

Fig. 5____  Talyrond measuring machine, (click on the image to enlarge).

Fig. 6____
Talyrond spindle eror. Peak to valley is about 1 micro inch (25 nm)

Fig. 7____
Simulation of the movement of a rotation axis during the polishing

Fig. 8____
Large abrasive particles separated from a 1 micrometer commercial slurry product.

Fig. 9____
Silicon sphere s29 stil shows a hint of crystalline structure, (click on the image to enlarge).