The ion milling of sapphire is a complicated operation due to several characteristics of the material itself. It is a relatively hard, transparent, nonconductive crystalline material that does not transfer heat nearly as well as metals that have been successfully ion milled in the past. This investigation involved designing an experimental arrangement, using existing ion-milling equipment, as the precursor to figuring the surface of sapphire and other insulating optical materials. The experimental arrangement employs a laser probe beam to constantly monitor the stresses being induced in the material as it is being ion milled. The goal is to determine if the technique proposed will indeed indicate the stress being induced in the material so that these stresses can be managed to prevent failure of the optic. (c) 2005 The Electrochemical Society.