Design and analysis on a kind of primary reflector support structure based on thermal compensation principle

Conglin Yan; Weilin Liu; Qinzhang Wu

doi:10.1117/12.956426

15 October 2012 Design and analysis on a kind of primary reflector support structure based on thermal compensation principle

Conglin Yan, Weilin Liu, Qinzhang Wu

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8415, 6th International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies: Large Mirrors and Telescopes; 841511 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.956426
Event: 6th International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies (AOMATT 2012), 2012, Xiamen, China

Abstract

While the diameter of primary mirror becomes lager and lager, the accuracy of surface shape becomes extremely sensitive to gravity and temperature. The support structure has great significance to improve the imaging quality. The accuracy of surface shape can be improved by increasing the stiffness of support structure. However, high stiffness will decrease the structure's thermal stability. To improve the imaging quality under thermal environment, the structure should have reasonable flexibility. The problem is that, the support structure of a primary mirror can't keep both high rigidity and fine thermal stability. To solve this problem, a flexible and thermal compensation structure was introduced and the parameter was optimized in this paper. After the analysis of the surface accuracy by Finite Element Method (FEM) was carried out, the RMS value of surface precision decreased from the original 67.3nm to 12.6nm when the mirror working at thermal and self-gravity circumstance. The analysis results meet the requirement of the imaging quality. It indicates that thermal compensation structure can effectively improve the reflector's surface shape accuracy under the effect of the gravity and thermal load.

Citation Download Citation

Conglin Yan, Weilin Liu, and Qinzhang Wu "Design and analysis on a kind of primary reflector support structure based on thermal compensation principle", Proc. SPIE 8415, 6th International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies: Large Mirrors and Telescopes, 841511 (15 October 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.956426

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available