Publications
Below is a list of our publications. If you have questions please contact us.
Controlling Quality in OAPs (k, f, theta, OAD)
Controlling quality of off-axis parabolic mirrors requires tolerances that are both traceable to performance and verifiable by measurement. Primary aspheric parameters for off-axis parabolic (OAP) mirrors, include the conic constant (k), focal length (f), off-axis angle (OAA or “θ”) and off-axis distance (OAD). We defined these in our application note, “Specifying the Geometry of an Off-Axis Parabolic Mirror ”.
Specifying the Geometry of OAPs
The growing need for advanced reflective optics operating over a broad bandwidth has motivated the development of off-axis parabolas with higher imaging performance then ever before. Specifying imaging and wavefront performance over a broad range of spatial frequencies is essential for enabling the highest levels of performance. As system level requirements have advanced, the way we specify OAPs must also change. Within recent years everything about OAP’s has evolved including tolerances for quality and performance, manufacturing methods, testing methods, thin film coatings and alignment technologies. AOS continues to re-engineer the Off-Axis Parabola to meet the needs of tomorrow’s applications. These topics are explored in a series of new application notes from Aperture Optical Sciences Inc. This paper provides instruction on how to define the key geometric features of Off-Axis Parabolic Mirrors (OAPs) and describes the concept of axial offsets as a function of off-axis angle.
Zero-Expansion Ceramic Mirrors
Ceramic Materials enable mirrors with greater durability and resistance to mechanical and thermal loading than glass. This application notes provides you with all you need to know about Cordierite materials for optics.
Advantages of the parallel configuration OAP
The typical image that comes to mind when thinking about off-axis parabolas is the wedged-configuration mirror section cut out of a larger parent parabola. However, independently fabricated parallel configurations provide advantages in both cost and performance. This article explores why you should consider the parallel configuration first.
AOS Technical Note: Coatings for OAPs
This publication summarizes the coatings AOS offers for its off-axis parabola products.
AOS Technical Note: Specifying Wavefront or Surface Error in Aspheres
Learn why its important to specify optical quality by the reflected wavefront error instead of surface error in this AOS optics training Applications Note.
Correlation of mid-spatial features to image performance in Aspheric Mirrors
Presented at SPIE Optics and Photonics, San Diego CA, June 2013
Aspheric Finishing of Glass and SiC Optics
Presented at OSA Optical Fabrication and Test, Monterey CA, June 2012
Fabrication of SiC Aspheric Mirrors (with low mid-spatial error)
Presented at SPIE Optics and Photonics, San Diego CA, June 2012
SBIR-STTIR Success Story
30 Inch Mirror Delivered to United States Air Force, October 2010
Fun Facts about Pitch
SPIE Conference on Optical Manufacturing and Testing III, Denver CO, July 1999
Filters for Dual Band Imagers
SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, Orlando, April 2009
Dual Band Anti-Reflection Coatings for the Infrared
SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, Orlando, February 2008