Simple laser interferometers for space optics testing

Evgenij G. Popov; Gennadi M. Popov

doi:10.1117/12.460701

26 February 2003 Simple laser interferometer for space optics testing

Evgenij G. Popov, Gennadi M. Popov

Proceedings Volume 4852, Interferometry in Space; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460701
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

Simple laser interferometers for testing of the Space optical systems are discussed. An interferometer consists of a lens in front of a helium-neon gas laser, flat pellicle beamsplitter, a tiny reference flat mirror, and optics under test. A light of the laser passes the lens and the beamsplitter to produce the point like image at the surface of the reference flat mirror. The beam is split by the beamsplitter into a reference beam and an analyzer beam. The analyzer beam is reflected by the system under test, and it crosses the beamsplitter and recombines with the reference wavefront to produce Twyman-Green fringes in a viewing screen. The reference wavefront is reflected by the reference flat mirror and by the beamsplitter. The interferometer is not affected by displacements and tilts of the lens, the beamsplitter, and the reference flat mirror, that is why it is especially recommended for the Space optics testing on the orbit. The interferometer is also very simple, small, light, and cheap, and easily can be manufactured in quantity.

Citation Download Citation

Evgenij G. Popov and Gennadi M. Popov "Simple laser interferometer for space optics testing", Proc. SPIE 4852, Interferometry in Space, (26 February 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460701

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