15 March 2021 Enabling precision coordinate metrology for universal optical testing and alignment applications
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Abstract

Optical designs for the next generation space science instruments call for unconventional, aspheric, and freeform (FF), prescriptions with tight tolerances. These advanced surfaces enable superior-performance, compact, and lower cost systems but are more challenging to characterize and, hence, to fabricate and integrate. A method was developed to characterize a wide range of optical surfaces, without requiring custom-made correctors, and to align them to each other for a high-performance optical system. A precision coordinate measuring machine, equipped with a non-contact, chromatic confocal probe, was used to measure numerous optics including large convex conics, high-sloped aspherics, several FF surfaces, and grazing-incidence x-ray optics. The resulting data were successfully reduced using custom-developed, advanced surface fitting analysis tool, to determine the optic’s alignment relative to the global and local coordinate systems, surface departure from design, and the as-built optical prescription. This information guided the modeling and the alignment of the corresponding as-built optical systems, including a flight system composed of a three-mirror anastigmat.

© 2021 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) 0091-3286/2021/$28.00 © 2021 SPIE
Manal Khreishi, Raymond G. Ohl, Joseph M. Howard, Jonathan C. Papa, Ryan McClelland, Clark Hovis, Theodore Hadjimichael, Patrick Thompson, Kenneth Ranson, Rongguang Liang, and Nicolas Gorius "Enabling precision coordinate metrology for universal optical testing and alignment applications," Optical Engineering 60(3), 035106 (15 March 2021). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.60.3.035106
Received: 15 October 2020; Accepted: 11 February 2021; Published: 15 March 2021
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Cited by 1 scholarly publication.
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KEYWORDS
Metrology

Mirrors

Optical testing

Optical alignment

Optical engineering

Interferometry

Optical fabrication

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