Pamplemousse: The optical design, fabrication, and assembly of a three-mirror freeform imaging telescope

Rolland, Jannick P.; Fuerschbach, Kyle; Davis, Gregg E.; Thompson, Kevin P.

doi:10.1117/12.2074479

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The obtained results are then compared with Zemax OpticStudio. Similar work has been carried out on a "pamplemousse" configuration [8] in [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Optimization of a freeform TMA with a differential ray tracer with NURBS capabilities

Freslier,

Druart,

Fontbonne

et al. 2024

Optical Design and Engineering IX

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Optimizing freeform systems can encounter convergence difficulties due to the many degrees of freedom that these surfaces bring to optical systems. Moreover, the description of these freeform surfaces in a polynomial basis may impose prior knowledge on the shape of the surface. In this presentation, we will showcase a differential ray tracer with NURBS capabilities called FORMIDABLE. In contrast to available commercial optical design software, such as Zemax OpticStudio and Synopsys Code V, this library i can simulate and especially optimize Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline (NURBS) surfaces. The key advantage of NURBS lies in their ability to locally describe an optical surface, thereby minimizing preconceived notions about the surface shape, aside from the surface sampling determined by the density of the NURBS representation. The main drawback, however, is the significant increase in the degrees of freedom within the optical system, making the optimization of these surfaces a complex task with a conventional commercial optical design software. FORMIDABLE's implementation of differential ray-tracing capabilities allows faster convergence of systems described by many degrees of freedom and makes optimization with NURBS surfaces viable. The features of FORMIDABLE will first be described. Then its capabilities will be illustrated with the optimization of a classical nonreimaging Three-Mirror Anastigmat (TMA) by considering either a description of surfaces by NURBS or a description by the polynomial basis XY. Then, this optimized TMA will be compared with its equivalent optimized with Zemax OpticStudio. To enable this software comparison, we will use the same starting point and practically the same merit function. Standard metrics, such as Root Mean Square (RMS) spot size across the field of view (FOV) will be used to assess the imaging quality.

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“…The obtained results are then compared with Zemax OpticStudio. Similar work has been carried out on a "pamplemousse" configuration [8] in [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Optimization of a freeform TMA with a differential ray tracer with NURBS capabilities

Freslier,

Druart,

Fontbonne

et al. 2024

Optical Design and Engineering IX

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Due to some manufacturing limits and to reduce overal TMA envelope, new optical schemes were evaluated including fully reflective (catoptric) system yielding larger mechanical envelope and challenging integration as well as "folding" the TMA design to achieve more compact dimensions. 5 The latter design change was introduced together with further optimisation of refractive (dioptric) relay and focussing optics yielding final catadioptric system design with parameters summarised in 1.…”

Section: • Mems For Compensationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple optical receive system for optical GEO feeder-links

Poliak,

Albertini,

Beier

et al. 2024

Free-Space Laser Communications XXXVI

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Optical feeder-links play crucial role in closing the global broadband coverage gaps. Point-to-point GEO satellite links provide advantage of uninterrupted availability limited only by ground conditions at the cost of higher SWaP to be able to close the link budget. By increasing field-of-view of the on-board optical terminals to ∼ 1 • × 4 • , coverage over large enough area for exploitation of site diversity with more than ten optical ground stations and thus network availability above 99.9% can be achieved.We discuss design challenges and constraints together with trade-off evaluation towards the final design. We present optical and mechanical design of a payload prototype, including telescope with 250mm aperture, capable of tracking multiple optical ground stations over entire Mediterranean region. The tracking system concepts are presented to show potential compensation of the orbital effects that arise due to platform vibrations and orbital inclination.The preliminary results of the breadboard´s verification and acceptance process are presented. Insight into manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing stage of the individual prototype sub-assemblies will be given.Finally, system trade-off between various concepts as well as between the traditional use of multiple optical payloads and the presented baseline will be shown and discussed. The goal is to demonstrate the practical application potential of the multiple optical receive systems for future optical GEO feeder-links.

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“…Over a similar period, there has also been a significant amount of interest in freeform surfaces that lack any axis of symmetry. Freeform surfaces are well documented as a degree of freedom suitable for the correction of aberrations in asymmetric systems caused by the tilt and decenter of optical components 4 , 5 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This represents both a powerful design degree of freedom and a manufacturing challenge. Their utility in the correction of aberrations in tilted and decentered optical systems as well as HMDs has been widely demonstrated in the literature 4 , 6 . Their lack of rotational symmetry prevents their manufacture by conventional lap polishing processes, with techniques such as CNC grinding and polishing required to generate the required variation in form and slope.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Freeform surfaces are well documented as a degree of freedom suitable for the correction of aberrations in asymmetric systems caused by the tilt and decenter of optical components. 4,5 Helmet-and head-mounted displays (HMDs) are two system types in particular that obtain optical performance benefits from freeform optics. HMD systems see broad applications, such as avionics for defense and aerospace applications and mixed reality goggles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Optical design of a freeform, gradient-index, head-mounted display

Boyd

2023

Opt. Eng.

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.I present the results of an optical design study into the performance benefits of non-rotationally symmetric “freeform” gradient-index (GRIN) media on a pupil-relay head-mounted display. A range of design variants are presented based on freeform-GRIN lenses consisting of ternary base-material combinations that are enabled by recent developments in additive manufacture. The optical performance of these designs is compared to homogeneous solutions comprising combinations of spherical, aspheric, toric, and freeform surfaces. I show that freeform-GRIN media represent powerful degrees of freedom for aberration correction in tilted and off-axis optical systems, performing comparably to homogeneous freeform optics while illustrating significant potential reductions in lens count and mass.

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Pamplemousse: The optical design, fabrication, and assembly of a three-mirror freeform imaging telescope

Abstract: Since the last IODC meeting, the field of optical design with freeform surfaces has burst onto the scene. This talk will present a first of its kind, all reflective, unobscured, three-mirror 10° full field of view, F/1.9 operational freeform imaging telescope from design to full assembly.

Cited by 8 publications

References 7 publications

Optimization of a freeform TMA with a differential ray tracer with NURBS capabilities

Optimization of a freeform TMA with a differential ray tracer with NURBS capabilities

Multiple optical receive system for optical GEO feeder-links

Optical design of a freeform, gradient-index, head-mounted display

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