Concave membrane mirrors from aspheric to near-parabolic

James Michael Wilkes; Christopher H. M. Jenkins; Dan K. Marker; Richard A. Carreras; Dennis C. Duneman; James R. Rotge

doi:10.1117/12.367593

3 November 1999 Concave membrane mirrors from aspheric to near-parabolic

James Michael Wilkes, Christopher H. M. Jenkins, Dan K. Marker, Richard A. Carreras, Dennis C. Duneman, James R. Rotge

Proceedings Volume 3760, High-Resolution Wavefront Control: Methods, Devices, and Applications; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.367593
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1999, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

The surface of an initially planar membrane, which is subsequently subjected to a pressure difference, can be manipulated into a variety of shapes. This report discusses two methods by which optically desirable deterministic shapes might be achieved. The first involves pre-straining of the membrane, a technique which has already been demonstrated to reduce the spherical aberration in such a mirror. However, near-parabolic shapes at low f-numbers appear not to be achievable with this method, i.e., using pressure differences and pre-strain alone. The second technique is a somewhat novel one involving the use of a plunger to translate the central region of the membrane along the optical axis. Preliminary results suggest that attainment of a near-parabolic shape over a substantial area of the membrane may indeed be possible with this method. The experiments described here use an aluminum coated 125 micron thick polyimide membrane with a clear aperture of 11 inches.

Citation Download Citation

James Michael Wilkes, Christopher H. M. Jenkins, Dan K. Marker, Richard A. Carreras, Dennis C. Duneman, and James R. Rotge "Concave membrane mirrors from aspheric to near-parabolic", Proc. SPIE 3760, High-Resolution Wavefront Control: Methods, Devices, and Applications, (3 November 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.367593

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