The theory, design techniques, and fabrication of high harmonic diffractive (HHD) lenses is presented. HHD lenses are of high interest for ultralightweight and large aperture imaging systems. The interesting chromatic focal characteristics, image quality, and correction subsystems are discussed that can provide high image quality (achromatic and apochromatic) over broad optical bandwidths. A fabrication example is given of an HHD lens combined with a molded glass HHD lens combined with a single-order diffractive Fresnel lens, which is called a multiple-order diffractive engineered surface (MODE) lens. This type of lens is being developed for ultralightweight space telescopes, although they will have application in other areas.
Progress in development of a multiple-order diffractive engineered (MODE) lens as applied to space telescopes, where an ultralightweight primary lens is used instead of a mirror, is presented. Precision glass molding is used to fabricate a prototype 0.24 m diameter primary lens, and advanced alignment technology is used to bond lens segments into a ridged, monolithic structure. The primary lens is used in an f/4.17 telescope with a color corrector that provides diffraction-limited imaging over the astronomical R-band of wavelengths (589 nm to 727 nm) and +/- 0.125° field of view. Fabrication data, alignment results, and imaging experiments are presented.
The initial testing of prototype multiple-order-diffraction engineered (MODE) lens telescope is essential process before the sky test to evaluate the optical imaging performance of a space object. Prototype MODE lens telescope consists of MODE primary lens which is a core component to correct secondary spectrum, a field lens and a double Gauss type color corrector and achieves a diffraction limited performance. The performance is tested on the diffraction efficiency with respect to supercontinuum laser wavelength on an optical testbed and evaluated on the polychromatic performance for prototype molded ring segment.
The stray light analysis and testing of multiple-order-diffraction engineered (MODE) lens telescope is an essential step in the evaluation of optical imaging performance of the telescope. The MODE primary lens has a multi-order diffractive (MOD) front surface and single-order (M = 1) diffractive Fresnel lens (DFL) rear surface. Both of MOD and DFL surfaces have four transitions between five annular zones. Stray light can be minimized to prevent unwanted photons from reaching the science instrument detectors. Stray light is evaluated on an optical testbed to test the polychromatic performance with a supercontinuum laser.
The primary lens of our multi-order diffractive engineered (MODE) lens telescope combines traditional lens design and a diffractive element to mitigate longitudinal chromatic aberration (LCA). This design uses a 24 cm diameter aperture. In order to make the primary in molded glass, the lens is constructed in 9 segments, 1 radially symmetric center segment, and 8 identical ring segments. A monolithic 24cm aperture MODE lens is not possible at this time, due to limitations of our 14 cm diameter molding cavity. The ring segments each subtend a 45° angular subtense of the ring around the center segment, combining to form a 360° ring around the center segment. Due to the irregular shape of the ring segments and the high precision diffractive surfaces within the design, the lenses are fabricated using precision glass molding (PGM). This presentation considers mold insert design, preform selection, and molding process development. Beyond the overall structure of the molds, the design of the mold insert requires considerations for thermal expansion of the mold and mitigation of adhesion between the mold and the lens using an antiadhesion coating. The preform selection considers both the thermal and optical properties of the glass to be molded and the proper shape of the preform for the easiest material flow during the mold cycle. The general molding process is summarized as heating the preform above the glass transition temperature, applying a force to the mold inserts, and cooling the mold assembly before release.
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