Integrated Wavefront Detection for Large-Aperture Segmented Planar Mirrors: Concept & Principle

Planar mirrors play a crucial role in autocollimation testing and optical beam relay systems of telescopes and other fields. However, for the next-generation large-aperture telescopes, typical monolithic planar mirrors fall short in meeting anticipated performance requirements, owing to their high costs and fabrication limitations. Here, a new integrated multimodal testing method for 3–4 m-class segmented planar mirrors is proposed. The presented system utilizes an innovative keystone architecture with a central mirror and keystone-shaped segments, which is superior to the traditional hexagonal architecture. To facilitate rapid coarse alignment, a machine vision system based on edge detection is investigated. Furthermore, the dispersed fringe technique is used for robust co-phasing. By using a segmented planar mirror designed with sub-aperture stitching strategy and combining local apertures, the system cost was reduced and high-precision measurement was achieved. Eventually, the alignment, co-focus and co-phasing measurements based on the proposed concept were completed, and the transfer characteristics were determined by analyzing the Optical Transfer Function (OTF). Test data shows co-phasing accuracy of better than 30 nm RMS (root-mean-square) and alignment accuracy less than 10 arcseconds. In addition, the system uses small-aperture mirrors in autocollimation testing to facilitate flexible alignment and testing of individual segments. The test optical path is configured to match the effective focal length of the system under test, and the optical lever effect of reflectors enhances the alignment sensitivity. The method combines autocollimation and wavefront sensing which allows the approach to provide high-precision control of co-focus, co-phasing, and surface errors correction.