US 12,704,708 B2Granted

Widefield catadioptric monolithic telescopes

AssigneeLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC

InventorFrank Ravizza

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Abstract

In one aspect, an apparatus includes a first aspheric refractive surface defined by a first polynomial and positioned to receive input light, and a first aspheric mirror surface comprising a first reflective coating, the first mirror surface defined by a second polynomial and positioned to receive light from the first aspheric refractive surface. The apparatus includes a second aspheric mirror surface comprising a second reflective coating, the second aspheric mirror surface defined by a third polynomial and positioned to receive light from the first aspheric mirror surface, and a second aspheric refractive surface defined by a fourth polynomial and positioned to receive light from the second aspheric mirror surface, wherein the first aspheric refractive surface, the first aspheric mirror surface, the second aspheric mirror surface, and the second aspheric refractive surface are arranged to have a fixed alignment with respect to each other as part of a monolithic structure.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An optical apparatus, comprising:

a first aspheric refractive surface defined by a first polynomial and positioned to receive input light;
a first aspheric mirror surface comprising a first reflective coating, the first aspheric mirror surface defined by a second polynomial and positioned to receive light from the first aspheric refractive surface;
a second aspheric mirror surface comprising a second reflective coating, the second aspheric mirror surface defined by a third polynomial and positioned to receive light from the first aspheric mirror surface;
and
a second aspheric refractive surface defined by a fourth polynomial and positioned to receive light from the second aspheric mirror surface, the fourth polynomial configuring the second aspheric refractive surface as a field corrector plate, wherein the first aspheric refractive surface, the first aspheric mirror surface, the second aspheric mirror surface, and the second aspheric refractive surface are arranged to have a fixed alignment with respect to each other as part of a monolithic structure, wherein the first polynomial configures a shape of the first aspheric refractive surface and the fourth polynomial configures a shape of the field corrector plate, the shape of the first aspheric refractive surface and the shape of the field corrector plate together compensating for one or more of spherical, comatic, field, or astigmatic aberrations introduced by at least the first aspheric mirror surface,
wherein the shape of the first aspheric refractive surface and the shape of the field corrector plate are configured to correct high-order off-axis aberrations including at least coma and astigmatism introduced by the first and second aspheric mirror surfaces, and
wherein correction of the high-order off-axis aberrations by the first aspheric refractive surface and the field corrector plate enables the optical apparatus to operate with a wide field of view at a fast focal ratio in the monolithic structure.

4 more elements

A method of manufacturing an optical system, the method comprising:

shaping, in a plurality of first areas of a block of optical material, a first aspheric refractive surface and a second aspheric refractive surface according to a plurality of first prescriptions, wherein the second aspheric refractive surface is configured as a field corrector plate;
shaping, in one or more second areas of the block of optical material, a first aspheric mirror surface and a second aspheric mirror surface according to one or more second prescriptions, wherein the first aspheric refractive surface is positioned to receive input light, the first aspheric mirror surface is positioned to receive light from the first aspheric refractive surface, the second aspheric mirror surface is positioned to received light from the first aspheric mirror surface, and the second aspheric refractive surface is positioned to receive light from the second aspheric mirror surface;
applying one or more reflective coatings to each of the first aspheric mirror surface and the second aspheric mirror surface;
and
applying one or more anti-reflective coatings or filters to each of the first aspheric refractive surface and the second aspheric refractive surface to produce one or more field correction surfaces including the field corrector plate, wherein the first aspheric refractive surface and the field corrector plate together are configured to compensate for one or more of spherical, comatic, field, or astigmatic aberrations introduced by at least the first aspheric mirror surface,
wherein the first aspheric refractive surface and the field corrector plate are shaped according to the plurality of first prescriptions to correct high-order off-axis aberrations including at least coma and astigmatism introduced by the first and second aspheric mirror surfaces, and
wherein correction of the high-order off-axis aberrations by the first aspheric refractive surface and the field corrector plate enables wide field of view operation at a fast focal ratio in a monolithic catadioptric optical system.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/654,775Filed 14 Mar 2022
Published: US 2023/0288692 A114 Sep 2023
Granted: 11 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G02B 23/02
Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices:…
G02B 17/0642
Using three curved mirrors: off-axis or unobscured systems in which not all of the mirrors share a common axis of rotational symmetry, e.g. at…
G02B 17/0808
Using two curved mirrors: on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture
G02B 23/06
Involving prisms or mirrors: having a focussing action, e.g. parabolic mirror