US 5,353,231 A · Method of fabricating a reflecting mirror such that mirror segments can be arranged to reduce the effects of thermal deformation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a reflection mirror formed by sticking together a plurality of mirror segments for use on a reflecting telescope or the like. The mirror segments are arranged so that the thermal deformation of the reflecting mirror is limited to the least possible extent. The method comprises steps of: setting a plurality of sample points on the mirror surface; developing a matrix connecting a coefficient of the thermal expansion (CTE) vector having the deviations of the respective CTEs of the mirror segments from the average CTEs obtained by averaging the CTEs of the mirror segments as components corresponding to the respective positions of the mirror segments with the displacements of the sample points; selecting a vector making the sum of squares of the displacements a minimum among those obtained by rearranging the components of the CTE vector; and arranging the mirror segments according to the positions of the components of the selected vector.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method of fabricating a reflecting mirror by sticking a plurality of mirror segments together, said method comprising steps of:

developing a matrix expressing the relation between the displacements of a plurality of sample points on the mirror surface of the reflecting mirror and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) vector having the respective CTE values of the mirror segments as components corresponding respectively to the positions of the mirror segments;
selecting a vector among those obtained by rearranging the components of the CTE vector, so as to make the sum of squares of the displacements minimum;
arranging the mirror segments according to positions represented by the components of the selected CTE vector;
and
sticking the mirror segments together.

2 more elements

A method of fabricating a reflecting mirror formed by sticking a plurality of mirror segments together and to be subjected to predetermined deformation correction, said method comprising steps of:

developing a matrix connecting a residual displacement vector representing residual displacements at a plurality of sample points on the mirror surface of the reflecting mirror remaining after the correction of predetermined terms among those of series representing the thermal deformation of the reflecting mirror, and CTE vector having components corresponding to values connected with the CTEs of the mirror segments and corresponding to positions where the mirror segments are placed;
selecting a vector making the sum of squares of the components of the residual displacement vector a minimum among those obtained by rearranging the components of the CTE vector;
and
arranging the mirror segments according to the positions of the components of the selected vector, and sticking the mirror segments together.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of fabricating a reflecting mirror such that mirror segments can be arranged to reduce the effects of thermal deformation

Life of this patent

Method of fabricating a reflecting mirror such that mirror segments can be arranged to reduce the effects of thermal deformation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9