Optimized fused silica used in new astronomical applications

Wolfgang Schlichting; Bodo Kühn; Frank Nürnberg

doi:10.1117/12.2628706

29 August 2022 Optimized fused silica used in new astronomical applications

Wolfgang Schlichting, Bodo Kühn, Frank Nürnberg

Proceedings Volume 12188, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation V; 1218803 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2628706
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2022, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Abstract

Being able to survey the sky at ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelengths, astronomical spectrographs can study objects almost impossible to see in visible light alone. Very low light intensities of small objects require single-photon sensitivity. The unique optical properties of fused silica, e.g., highest transmission, best homogeneity, and lowest absorption, enable next-generation observations, space-bound as well as earth-bound. However light absorption in the range >800 nm limits the performance of IR spectrographs when using standard fused silica. Metallic impurities and OH groups embedded in the fused silica matrix need to be reduced to achieve best operation. The MOONS camera system at ESO’s Very Large Telescope observes the universe in the NIR range using low OH synthetic fused silica lenses up to a diameter of 900 mm. In the UV spectrum of 160-350 nm, standard fused silica performs in earth-bound systems extremely well. However, in space-bound applications, radiation damage reduces the transmissivity over time. Radiation hard fused silica windows for the PLATO M3 mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) protect the sensitive telescope from damage due to solar protons. Key optical instruments require calibration of the light source to normalize spectroscopic measurements. A radiation resistant fused silica diffusor with Lambertian scattering behavior supports ESA’s Copernicus program in the Sentinel 5 satellite.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Wolfgang Schlichting, Bodo Kühn, and Frank Nürnberg "Optimized fused silica used in new astronomical applications", Proc. SPIE 12188, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation V, 1218803 (29 August 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2628706

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