Minimizing instrumental polarization in the Multiangle SpectroPolarmetric Imager (MSPI) using diattenuation balancing between the three mirror coatings

Anna-Britt Mahler; Nasrat A. Raouf; Paula K. Smith; Stephen C. McClain; Russell A. Chipman

doi:10.1117/12.791941

28 July 2008 Minimizing instrumental polarization in the Multiangle SpectroPolarmetric Imager (MSPI) using diattenuation balancing between the three mirror coatings

Anna-Britt Mahler, Nasrat A. Raouf, Paula K. Smith, Stephen C. McClain, Russell A. Chipman

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7013, Optical and Infrared Interferometry; 701355 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.791941
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2008, Marseille, France

Abstract

Special enhanced silver mirror coatings were designed and fabricated to minimize the polarization introduced by a three-mirror off-axis high-accuracy telescope. A system diattenuation of approximately 1% in the VIS-NIR was achieved by both reducing the diattenuation from each mirror individually and by balancing the diattenuations introduced by the three mirrors over the spectral range. This process of low-polarization engineering involves minimizing system polarization introduced by surface geometry, thin film coatings and birefringent elements, and measuring the system. In this report we will outline a methodology to minimize instrumental polarization aberrations, with an emphasis on achieving low diattenuation in the MSPI camera, given its off-axis geometry and coating design constraints imposed by the space-based application. This polarization balancing technique for mirror coatings can be applied to astrophysics applications.

Citation Download Citation

Anna-Britt Mahler, Nasrat A. Raouf, Paula K. Smith, Stephen C. McClain, and Russell A. Chipman "Minimizing instrumental polarization in the Multiangle SpectroPolarmetric Imager (MSPI) using diattenuation balancing between the three mirror coatings", Proc. SPIE 7013, Optical and Infrared Interferometry, 701355 (28 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.791941

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