Novel technique for aligning paraboloids

L. Curt Maxey

doi:10.1117/12.134855

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1 January 1992 Novel technique for aligning paraboloids

L. Curt Maxey

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Proceedings Volume 1531, Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing II; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.134855
Event: San Diego, '91, 1991, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

A technique is described for aligning an autocollimating test of an off-axis paraboloidal segment. A corner reflector (corner-cube retroreflector) is incorporated as an alignment aid to interferometrically align a paraboloidal segment to a spherical wavefront. This alignment task is typically quite challenging and time consuming because the interferograms obtained from a partially aligned autocollimating test cannot be easily interpreted for alignment correction. The normal alignment process requires iterative cycles of adjustment, realignment, and evaluation to achieve results. The use of a corner reflector significantly reduces the time required for the alignment of a n autocollimating test because it provides images and interferograms that can easily be interpreted for alignment correction. The wide dynamic range of this alignment technique makes it applicable to a variety of alignment tasks involving paraboloidal mirrors.

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L. Curt Maxey "Novel technique for aligning paraboloids", Proc. SPIE 1531, Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing II, (1 January 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.134855

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