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14 July 2008Lightweight optical segment prototype for adaptive optics
manufactured by hot slumping
In the framework of the E-ELT Design Study financed by the European Community under OPTICON-FP6, the INAFAstronomical
Observatory of Brera (INAF-OAB) has developed a technique for the manufacturing of thin optical
segments. This study has the potential to fulfill the requirements of speed of production, contained costs and good optical
quality for adaptive optics mirrors of the future. Following this approach these shells are produced by means of an hot
slumping technique in which an initially flat thin BorofloatTM glass sheet is placed onto a high quality ceramic mold, used as a master, to impart a precise shape to the glass by means of a thermal cycle. The thickness of these shells is of
about 1.7 mm, making the optical surface very floppy and easy to be deformed. A previous investigation made on small
size segments (diam. 130 mm) has shown quite encouraging results. The final goal of this study is to produce a concave
spherical mirror prototype of 500 mm diameter. In this paper we report the last results of this effort in scaling-up the
procedure and related problems concerning the optical testing.
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R. Canestrari, M. Ghigo, S. Basso, D. Spiga, L. Proserpio, "Lightweight optical segment prototype for adaptive optics manufactured by hot slumping," Proc. SPIE 7015, Adaptive Optics Systems, 70153S (14 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.790396