Dr. Allan Wirth Profile

Dr. Allan Wirth

Chief Scientist at Northrop Grumman Corp

SPIE Involvement:

Author

Publications (26)

Proceedings Article | 3 October 2014 Paper

Design and fabrication of a high precision x-ray deformable mirror

Allan Wirth, Audrey Brooks, Eric Lintz, Jeffrey Cavaco

Proceedings Volume 9208, 92080E (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2062289

KEYWORDS: Actuators, Mirrors, Surface finishing, Polishing, Silicon, X-rays, Deformable mirrors, Infrared sensors, Epoxies, Grazing incidence

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Proceedings Article | 8 September 2014 Paper

Deformable mirror designs for extreme AO (XAO)

Allan Wirth, Jeffrey Cavaco

Proceedings Volume 9148, 914823 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2057374

KEYWORDS: Actuators, Adaptive optics, Deformable mirrors, Imaging spectroscopy, Exoplanets, Ceramics, Manufacturing, Telescopes, Electrodes, Mirrors

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Proceedings Article | 2 August 2014 Paper

A deployable, annular, 30m telescope, space-based observatory

Justin Rey, Allan Wirth, Andrew Jankevics, David Rohweller, C. Bill Chen, Allen Bronowicki, Franklin Landers

Proceedings Volume 9143, 914318 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2057182

KEYWORDS: Mirrors, Image segmentation, Telescopes, Space telescopes, Silicon carbide, James Webb Space Telescope, Polishing, Signal to noise ratio, Observatories, Manufacturing

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High resolution imaging from space requires very large apertures, such as NASA’s current mission the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) which uses a deployable 6.5m segmented primary. Future missions requiring even larger apertures (>>10m) will present a great challenge relative to the size, weight and power constraints of launch vehicles as well as the cost and schedule required to fabricate the full aperture. Alternatively, a highly obscured annular primary can be considered. For example, a 93.3% obscured 30m aperture having the same total mirror area (91m²) as a 10.7m unobscured telescope, can achieve ~3X higher limiting resolution performance. Substantial cost and schedule savings can be realized with this approach compared to fully filled apertures of equivalent resolution. A conceptual design for a ring-shaped 30m telescope is presented and the engineering challenges of its various subsystems analyzed. The optical design consists of a 20X annular Mersenne form beam compactor feeding a classical 1.5m TMA telescope. Ray trace analysis indicates the design can achieve near diffraction limited images over a 200μrad FOV. The primary mirror consists of 70 identical rectangular 1.34x1.0m segments with a prescription well within the demonstrated capabilities of the replicated nanolaminate on SiC substrate technology developed by AOA Xinetics. A concept is presented for the deployable structure that supports the primary mirror segments. A wavefront control architecture consisting of an optical metrology subsystem for coarse alignment and an image based fine alignment and phasing subsystem is presented. The metrology subsystem is image based, using the background starfields for distortion and pointing calibration and fiducials on the segments for measurement. The fine wavefront control employs a hill climbing algorithm operating on images from the science camera. The final key technology required is the image restoration algorithm that will compensate for the highly obscured aperture. The results of numerical simulations of this algorithm will be presented and the signal-tonoise requirements for its successful application discussed. It is shown that the fabrication of the 30m telescope and all its supporting subsystems are within the scope of currently demonstrated technologies. It is also shown that the observatory can be brought to geosynchronous orbit, in its entirety, with a standard launch vehicle.

Proceedings Article | 7 May 2013 Paper

Deformable mirror technologies at AOA Xinetics

Kevin Ezzo, Allan Wirth, Jeffrey Cavaco, Theresa Bruno

Proceedings Volume 8780, 87800M (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2018031

KEYWORDS: Actuators, Mirrors, Deformable mirrors, Wavefronts, Silicon carbide, Ferroelectric materials, Capacitance, Thermal effects, Adaptive optics, Connectors

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Proceedings Article | 27 June 2006 Paper

Thermal deformable mirror

Mike Taylor, Carlos Caicedo, Rob Coerver, Greg LaRosa, Allan Wirth, John Wilt

Proceedings Volume 6272, 627252 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.672022

KEYWORDS: Actuators, Mirrors, Deformable mirrors, Adaptive optics, Electronics, High power lasers, Prototyping, Modulation, Control systems, Glasses

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Proceedings Article | 10 June 2006 Paper

Verification of the James Webb Space Telescope coarse phase sensor using the Keck Telescope

Mitchell Troy, Tom Gonsiorowski, Allan Wirth, Marc Albanese, Fang Shi, Andrew Jankevics, Scott Acton, Gary Chanan, Catherine Ohara

Proceedings Volume 6265, 62650Z (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.672055

KEYWORDS: James Webb Space Telescope, Mirrors, Calibration, Image segmentation, Sensors, Space telescopes, Telescopes, Image processing algorithms and systems, Image registration, Cameras

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Proceedings Article | 25 August 2005 Paper

Survey of adaptive optic techniques

Julie Perreault, Allan Wirth

Proceedings Volume 5903, 590307 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.617847

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Wavefront sensors, Wavefronts, Turbulence, Sensors, Control systems, Atmospheric optics, Stochastic processes, Deformable mirrors, Optical components

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Proceedings Article | 18 August 2005 Paper

Calibration of a spatial light modulator containing dual frequency liquid crystal

Don Taber, Marc Albanese, Allan Wirth, Bruce Winker, Bing Wen, Dong-Feng Gu, Frank Landers, Andrew Brackley

Proceedings Volume 5894, 58940J (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.626030

KEYWORDS: Wavefronts, Calibration, Liquid crystals, Wavefront sensors, Switching, Control systems, Cameras, Spatial light modulators, Sensors, Wavefront distortions

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Proceedings Article | 12 October 2004 Paper

Wavefront control with a spatial light modulator containing dual-frequency liquid crystal

Don Taber, Bing Wen, Marc Albanese, Bruce Winker, Frank Landers, Andrew Brackley, Allan Wirth, Dong-Feng Gu

Proceedings Volume 5553, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.562088

KEYWORDS: Wavefronts, Switching, Liquid crystals, Spatial light modulators, Deformable mirrors, Absorption, Adaptive optics, Computing systems, Wavefront sensors, Control systems

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Proceedings Article | 28 September 2004 Paper

Developing and testing an optical alignment system for SALT’s segmented primary mirror

Jian Swiegers, Arek Swat, Jennifer Roberts, Hitesh Gajjar, Allan Wirth, Theresa Bruno, Tom Gonsiorowski

Proceedings Volume 5489, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.551425

KEYWORDS: Sensors, Mirrors, Image segmentation, Error analysis, Simulation of CCA and DLA aggregates, Telescopes, Wavefronts, Beam splitters, Charge-coupled devices, Optical alignment

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Proceedings Article | 7 March 2003 Paper

Design and performance of the SOAR primary mirror calibration wavefront sensor

Jennifer Roberts, Allan Wirth, Thomas Sebring, Thomas Gonsiorowski

Proceedings Volume 4841, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.461976

KEYWORDS: Cameras, Telescopes, Wavefront sensors, Mirrors, Wavefronts, Sensors, Calibration, CCD cameras, Control systems

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Proceedings Article | 4 February 2003 Paper

Mirror alignment recovery system (MARS) on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope

John Booth, Lawrence Ramsey, Michael Ward, Marsha Wolf, Povilas Palunas, Allan Wirth, Gordon Wesley, Darragh O'Donoghue

Proceedings Volume 4837, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.458034

KEYWORDS: Mirrors, Image segmentation, Mars, Telescopes, Simulation of CCA and DLA aggregates, Beam splitters, Wavefront sensors, Collimators, Sensors, Image quality

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Proceedings Article | 20 July 2000 Paper

Cophasing methods for segmented mirrors

Allan Wirth

Proceedings Volume 4003, (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.391514

KEYWORDS: Sensors, Image segmentation, Mirrors, Control systems, Telescopes, Actuators, Segmented mirrors, Adaptive optics, Position sensors, Image sensors

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Proceedings Article | 7 July 2000 Paper

Adaptive optics performance criteria for imaging and laser communications systems

Bruce Levine, Clive Standley, Allan Wirth

Proceedings Volume 4007, (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.390297

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Imaging systems, Wavefronts, Laser communications, Receivers, Atmospheric turbulence, Optical communications, Telecommunications, Laser systems engineering, Phase measurement

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Proceedings Article | 3 November 1998 Paper

Active compensation for horizontal-line-of-sight turbulence over near-ground paths

Douglas Looze, Penelope Polak-Dingels, Theresa Bruno, Geoffrey Burdge, David Rush, Stacy Clinton, Bruce Levine, Pierre Barbier, Allan Wirth, Herbert DaSilva, Franklin Landers

Proceedings Volume 3433, (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.330220

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Wavefronts, Wavefront sensors, Deformable mirrors, Turbulence, Cameras, Signal processing, Actuators, Transmitters, Receivers

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Proceedings Article | 11 September 1998 Paper

Adaptive optics with an AOA WaveScope wavefront sensor and an OKOTechnologies membrane mirror

Brooke Gregory, Allan Wirth, Clive Standley, Jeff Smith

Proceedings Volume 3353, (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.321673

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Mirrors, Wavefronts, Wavefront sensors, Deformable mirrors, Actuators, Frame grabbers, Cameras, Sensors, Wavefront analysis

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Proceedings Article | 23 September 1997 Paper

Horizontal line of sight turbulence over near-ground paths and implications for adaptive optics corrections in laser communications

Elizabeth Martinsen, Allan Wirth, Bruce Levine, Theresa Bruno, Manuel Toledo-Quinones, Franklin Landers, Andrew Jankevics

Proceedings Volume 3125, (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.283899

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Wavefront sensors, Turbulence, Wave propagation, Computing systems, Phase shift keying, Scintillation, Wavefronts, Optical calibration, Atmospheric turbulence

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Proceedings Article | 23 September 1997 Paper

Schack-Hartmann wavefront sensing measurements of near-ground propagated laser beams

Penelope Polak-Dingels, Elizabeth Martinsen, David Rush, Geoffrey Burdge, Pierre Barbier, Allan Wirth, Bruce Levine, Andrew Jankevics

Proceedings Volume 3125, (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.283901

KEYWORDS: Zernike polynomials, Atmospheric propagation, Wavefront sensors, Wave propagation, Laser beam propagation, Wavefronts, Telescopes, Adaptive optics, Laser communications, Atmospheric optics

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Proceedings Article | 21 March 1997 Paper

Real-time modal control implementation for adaptive optics

Joseph Navetta, Allan Wirth, Bruce Levine

Proceedings Volume 2871, (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.269122

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Control systems, Digital signal processing, Real-time computing, Wavefronts, Actuators, Data storage, Process control, Signal processing, Wavefront sensors

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Proceedings Article | 31 May 1994 Paper

Experiments with adaptive nonlinear control systems for atmospheric correction

James Huang, Allan Wirth, Sol Gully, Douglas Looze, Nikolaos Denis, Andrew Jankevics, David Castanon

Proceedings Volume 2201, (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.176126

KEYWORDS: Adaptive optics, Control systems, Wavefronts, Wavefront sensors, Actuators, Deformable mirrors, Sensors, Mirrors, Astronomy, Diagnostics

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Proceedings Article | 25 August 1993 Paper

Adaptive nonlinear control systems for atmospheric correction

Andrew Jankevics, Allan Wirth, Michael Athans, Sol Gully, James Huang

Proceedings Volume 1920, (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.152670

KEYWORDS: Wavefronts, Wavefront sensors, Control systems, Adaptive optics, Actuators, Sensors, Deformable mirrors, Mirrors, Filtering (signal processing), Atmospheric optics

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Proceedings Article | 25 August 1993 Paper

Applying Hartmann wavefront-sensing technology to precision optical testing of the HST correctors

Allan Wirth, Andrew Jankevics, Theresa Bruno

Proceedings Volume 1920, (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.152677

KEYWORDS: Sensors, Wavefronts, Monochromatic aberrations, Optical testing, Relays, Calibration, Spherical lenses, Image sensors, Wavefront sensors, Telescopes

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Proceedings Article | 15 December 1992 Paper

Comparison of wavefront-sensor techniques

K. Yoo, Lawrence Petrilli, Pamela Davila, Robert Zielinski, Andrew Jankevics, Allan Wirth, Joseph Geary, Mitchell Ruda

Proceedings Volume 1776, (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.139246

KEYWORDS: Monochromatic aberrations, Wavefronts, Interferometry, Calibration, Wavefront sensors, Silver, Spatial filters, Diffraction gratings, Diffraction, Spherical lenses

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Proceedings Article | 13 January 1992 Paper

Wide-field-of-view adaptive optics

Andrew Jankevics, Allan Wirth

Proceedings Volume 1543, (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.51199

KEYWORDS: Optical components, Wavefronts, Atmospheric optics, Turbulence, Atmospheric propagation, Telescopes, Wave propagation, Adaptive optics, Atmospheric modeling, Deformable mirrors

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