Large stable aluminum optics for aerospace applications

Daniel Vukobratovich; John P. Schaefer

doi:10.1117/12.892039

24 September 2011 Large stable aluminum optics for aerospace applications

Proceedings Volume 8125, Optomechanics 2011: Innovations and Solutions; 81250T (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.892039
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2011, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Aluminum mirrors offer the advantages of lower cost, shorter fabrication time, more rugged mounting, and same material athermalization when compared to classical glass mirrors. In the past these advantages were offset by controversial dimensional stability and high surface scatter, limiting applications to IR systems. Raytheon developed processes to improve long term stability, and reduce surface scatter. Six 380 mm aperture aluminum mirrors made using these processes showed excellent stability, with figure changes of less than 0.01 wave RMS(1 wave = 633 nm) when cycled 10 times between -51 and +71 deg. C. The VQ process developed at ELCAN reduces surface scatter in bare aluminum mirrors to below 20 angstroms RMS, and has been used in thousands of production mirrors up to 300 mm aperture. These processes were employed in the fabrication of two lightweight single arch 600 mm aluminum mirrors. The two mirrors were produced in four months, with a mounted surface figure of 0.22 waves RMS and surface roughness of 20 angstroms. Mounted fundamental frequency was 218 Hz, and no figure distortion was observed at preload levels four times higher than design. Subsequently the mirrors performed well when subjected to severe environmental loadings in a Raytheon test system. This technology is being extended to ultra-lightweight sandwich mirrors, which are competitive with other material technologies used in advanced aerospace applications such as high-altitude UAV surveillance systems and satellite optics.

Citation Download Citation

Daniel Vukobratovich and John P. Schaefer "Large stable aluminum optics for aerospace applications", Proc. SPIE 8125, Optomechanics 2011: Innovations and Solutions, 81250T (24 September 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.892039

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