Plunger controlled, near-parabolic optical membrane mirror
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorsRichard A. Carreras, Dan K. Marker, James M. Wilkes, Dennis Duneman, James R. Rotge
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Abstract
A membrane mirror having an optical quality spherical shape maintained by differential pressure takes a near parabolic shape when a plunger-induced displacement of the central area of the mirror is introduced. The focal length can be adjusted by varying the differential pressure.
Claims2
For an active edge-controlled optical quality membrane mirror with a spherical mirror shape produced by differential pressure, a method for producing a parabolic mirror shape comprised of displacing the central portion of said spherical membrane mirror along its optical axis with a plunger having a flat circular disk of diameter less than half the spherical mirror diameter in contact with said membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.