REPLICATED MIRRORS CAPABILITIES

Why and When to replicate

Replicated optics can be used for both reflective and transmissive components.
The main reasons for using replicated optics are to:
• Minimise system cost
• Produce light weight or low inertia optic
• Locate optical surfaces in otherwise inaccessible locations

Metal replicated optics provide the ability to:

• Include the optical mount as part of the optical component
• Provide an accurate mounting surface aligned to the optical surface
• Permit a kinematic adjustment mechanism to be integral to the optical element
• Eliminate interfaces between the mirror and the mount that can go out of alignment under temperature excursions, vibration and shock
• Have their temperature coefficient of expansion matched to the optical bench making the system less susceptible to ambient temperature changes

LIGHTWEIGHT AND LOW INERTIA OPTICS

Silicon carbide, Aluminum, and Beryllium are the best substrates for lightweight replicated mirrors. When minimum inertia is the most important criteria for performance, the preferred substrate choices are Beryllium with a specific inertia of 6.65, followed by Boron carbide at 4.83, Miralloy at 4.49, and Silicon carbide at 3.5. For small size optics with minimum sheet thickness, density affects the choice of material. Beryllium provides the best option, followed by Aluminum.

ASPHERIC MIRRORS

Typical optic configurations include on and off axis paraboloids, ellipsoids, and toroids. High-accuracy aspheric elements can be produced in prototype through volume production quantities at a fraction of the cost associated with making similar products by conventional methods. Surfaces and coatings suitable for use in the deep UV through the far IR can be produced in virtually any accuracy, and substrates can incorporate integral mounts and kinematic adjustments if necessary. Many aspheric components can be designed to simply "bolt in place". With this type of optic/mount design, there is no additional alignment or adjustment necessary for assembly into the instrument.

RETROREFLECTORS AND ARRAYS

Truly monolithic individual hollow corner-cube and roof prisms offer bolt in place mounting, real thermal stability, and extreme resistance to shock and vibration, making them ideally suited for use in field applications, motion systems, and aerospace environments. Retroreflectors can be manufactured in virtually any shape substrate. Large elements up to 150mm in aperture are not uncommon. Arrays of multiple hollow prisms can be assembled and mounted in protective enclosures for long range sensing applications, and accuracies of the retros can be tailored to fit requirements of the application. Typical return beam accuracies range from 30 arc sec. for less demanding applications to 3 arc sec. for precision applications

OPTICS FOR MULTI_PASS CELLS

Download a brochure (DS-09052. Replicated Mirrors.pdf)

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