NU 2015-054

Inventors

Youwei Yao

Melville Ulmer*

Jian Cao*

Short Description

Novel coating method for improving surface quality of a thin film mirror

Abstract

Northwestern scientists have developed a new method for producing lightweight optics with improved image quality by using a stress-manipulated coating. Telescopes sent into space require extremely thin and smooth mirrors in order to collect X-rays or infrared light from their surroundings. The manufacturing processes currently employed to produce these high-quality mirrors are both time-consuming and expensive, in addition to being difficult to reproduce. Prof. Ulmer and colleagues developed a new approach that allows them to manufacture inexpensive optical mirrors that correct slope errors of 10-20 arc-seconds. Further, the final figure does not require active control to maintain the shape. Importantly, this innovative production method is reproducible and highly precise, having a DOC of only 0.6% in laboratory tests. This novel coating method has the potential to improve resolution of optics used for space exploration and may contribute to the field of astronomy.

Applications

• Light weight optics (e.g. X-ray telescope mirror)
• Mirrors or reflectors for satellite instrumentation

Advantages

• Improved image quality
• Reproducible and precise
• Inexpensive

IP Status

Provisional patent application has been filed.

Tags MATERIALS: thin film, MATERIALS: manufacturing, PHOTONICS: nonlinear optics