In this study, a fluorine-based reactive plasma jet is investigated as a promising tool for ultraprecise surface machining of N-BK7®. Plasma-generated particles react with an N-BK7 surface to create volatile and nonvolatile compounds. The desorption of volatile compounds results in an etched surface, whereas nonvolatile compounds form a residual layer in the etched area, causing unpredictable effects on the etching rate. Surface temperature treatment is proposed to improve the machining procedure with respect to deterministic material removal, leading to predictable results. It is shown that, at an elevated surface temperature, the residual layer properties are modified in favor of improved etching performance. The etching behavior of N-BK7 is compared with fused silica to verify the optimality of the obtained results.
