Optical image quality testing and correction of a 250-mm freeform telescope
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Designing with freeform optics makes it possible to correct imaging systems to high-performance levels in a compact format. To justify the extra challenges inherent in the design, fabrication, metrology, and assembly of systems utilizing freeform optics, engineers need a realistic understanding of the performance that can be expected. The real-world performance of these systems has remained under-explored in the literature, a factor that may dissuade the adoption of freeform optics. In this work, the MTF of an F/3, 3° diagonal full FOV, 250-mm aperture freeform telescope is characterized at multiple field angles using an off-axis parabolic collimator. The freeform optic components required minimal alignment steps and no post-polishing. Twenty-seven sub-aperture tilted knife-edge tests were conducted to evaluate the correlation between form error and image quality. The telescope’s image quality was determined to be consistent with the design specification, which was 30% MTF at 76 lp/mm (70% of the sensor-array Nyquist frequency) across the entire field.
Source: Optics Continuum
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,372
Funder: National Science Foundation
Awards: IUCRC Phase III University of Rochester: Center for Freeform Optics (CeFO), Phase II IUCRC at University of Rochester: Center for Freeform Optics, Phase II IUCRC at University of North Carolina, Charlotte: Center for Freeform Optics (CeFO), IUCRC Phase III University of North Carolina at Charlotte: Center for Freeform Optics (CeFO)
OpenAlex ID: W4405686524