Large diffractive/refractive apertures for space and airborne telescopes

Howard A. MacEwen; James B. Breckinridge

doi:10.1117/12.2015457

21 May 2013 Large diffractive/refractive apertures for space and airborne telescopes

Howard A. MacEwen, James B. Breckinridge

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Proceedings Volume 8739, Sensors and Systems for Space Applications VI; 873904 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2015457
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2013, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

Recent work, specifically the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Eyeglass and the DARPA MOIRE programs, have evaluated lightweight, easily packaged and deployed, diffractive/refractive membrane transmissive lenses as entrance apertures for large space and airborne telescopes. This presentation describes a new, innovative approach to the theory of diffractive and refractive effects in lenses used as telescope entrance apertures and the fabrication of the necessary large membrane optics. Analyses are presented to indicate how a broadband, highly transmissive diffractive / refractive membrane lens can be developed and fabricated, and potential applications in defense and astronomy are briefly discussed.

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Howard A. MacEwen and James B. Breckinridge "Large diffractive/refractive apertures for space and airborne telescopes", Proc. SPIE 8739, Sensors and Systems for Space Applications VI, 873904 (21 May 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2015457

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