Mr. Antonio Campos-Jara Profile

Antonio Campos-Jara

at INTA Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aerospacial

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Publications (5)

Proceedings Article | 7 June 2024 Presentation + Paper

Liquid crystal devices for compact optical space instruments

Alberto Alvarez-Herrero, Pilar García Parejo, Antonio Campos-Jara, Leire Ayuso Angulo, Daniel Garranzo-García, Manuel Silva-Lopez, Angel Jimenez-Girela, Daniel Merino-Pérez, Jesús Fernández Borrell

Proceedings Volume 13050, 130500H (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3013809

KEYWORDS: Liquid crystals, Polarization, Equipment, Polarimetry, Spatial light modulators, Satellites, Tunable filters

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Our group in the Space Optics Department at INTA has been working during more than 20 years in the development of devices based on liquid crystals for optical payloads onboard space missions. Currently, there are three of our devices successfully in operation in the PHI and METIS instruments of the Solar Orbiter ESA/NASA mission. Therefore, they have the highest technology maturity level, TRL9 (Technology Readiness Level). To the best of our knowledge, we are pioneers of the use of polarization modulators based on liquid crystals in a telescope or a camera in a space platform.

Liquid crystal devices avoid using standard solutions that involve mechanisms with rotatory polarization optical parts. Instead, we use this technology that minimizes the size, mass and power consumption of the device while maximizing its useful aperture and performance. These new capabilities open up new possibilities for small satellites that were previously only attainable by larger satellites. Liquid crystal-based polarization modulator technology is highly versatile and can be configured in multiple ways to suit diverse applications. It is based on the ability of liquid crystal variable retarders to control, modify and measure the polarization state of light, be it in an image or in a spot beam.

The application fields are numerous, from Astrophysics to Earth Observation. This work will introduce some of the main instruments that we are working on: from the Vigil ESA mission for Space Weather to Quantum Communication Space Systems, and including the Miniature Absolute Magnetometer for the NanoMagSat mission of ESA’s SCOUT Program. Also, we will show the development status of other liquid-crystal devices for compact space instrumentation that we are developing as Liquid Crystal Tunable Filters (LCTFs) and Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs).

In October 2023, the INTA spinoff Eye4Sky was established to the exploitation and commercialization of this optical technology of liquid crystal devices for space applications. This deep-tech startup has been selected for the prestigious European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) program.

Proceedings Article | 7 June 2024 Presentation + Paper

Liquid crystal polarization rotators for the miniaturized absolute magnetometer (MAM) of the NanoMagSat space mission

Pilar Garcia Parejo, Angel Jimenez Girela, Daniel Merino-Perez, Antonio Campos-Jara, Manuel Silva-López, Thomas Jager, William Fourcault, Francois Bertrand, Jean Michael Leger, Alberto Álvarez-Herrero

Proceedings Volume 13050, 130500G (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3013767

KEYWORDS: Polarization, Liquid crystals, Equipment, Magnetism, Magnetometers, Miniaturization, Optical transmission, Wave plates, Design, Sensors

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Proceedings Article | 29 August 2022 Poster + Paper

End-to-end tests of the TuMag instrument for the SUNRISE III mission

Alberto Álvarez Herrero, Daniel Garranzo-García, Armonía Núnez, Manuel Silva-López, Antonio Campos-Jara, Pilar García Parejo, María Cebollero, Julia Atienzar, Francisco Bailén, Julian Blanco Rodríguez, Pablo Santamarina, David Orozco Suárez, Jose Carlos del Toro Iniesta

Proceedings Volume 12184, 121842F (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2629272

KEYWORDS: Polarimetry, Cameras, Modulation transfer functions, Polarization, Modulation, Calibration, Sun, Imaging systems, Image resolution, Fabry–Perot interferometers

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Proceedings Article | 29 August 2022 Poster + Paper

TuMag for SUNRISE III mission: development of the optical unit of an imaging spectropolarimeter

Alberto Álvarez Herrero, Ana Fernández-Medina, María Cebollero, Daniel Garranzo-García, Armonía Núñez, Alejandro Gonzalo, Antonio Sánchez, Javier Villanueva, Pilar García Parejo, Antonio Campos-Jara, Manuel Silva-López, Ricardo San Julián, Hugo Laguna

Proceedings Volume 12184, 121842G (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2629391

KEYWORDS: Fabry–Perot interferometers, Polarization, Cameras, Telescopes, Mirrors, Thermography, Sensors, Optical filters, Polarimetry, Optical components

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Proceedings Article | 12 July 2019 Open Access

Validation of a spatial light modulator for space applications

Manuel Silva-López, Antonio Campos-Jara, Alberto Álvarez-Herrero

Proceedings Volume 11180, 111806R (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2536162

KEYWORDS: Liquid crystal on silicon, Liquid crystals, Mirrors, Modulators, Head, Aerospace engineering, Phase modulation, Calibration, Wavefronts, Phase shifting

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Liquid crystals on silicon spatial light modulator (LCOS-SLM) combine the potential of reflection type spatial light modulators with the compactness and robustness of a single chip. They are used today for beam steering applications, optical beam shaping and laser processing. These devices have a high potential for space applications due to the fact that they allow to introduce any tailored wavefront distortion in an imaging instrument. Then, image reconstruction methods as phase diversity can be used to determine the Point Spread Function (PSF) inflight and, later, to introduce a corrective wavefront distortion to correct possible deviations of the expected optical quality.

Among other aberrations, the beam phase control can act on the level of focus. In space optical applications image refocusing is usually performed by means of mechanisms, either by using linear displacement of lenses or rotating wheels with plates with different thicknesses. The compactness and absence of mechanical parts of LCOS-SLM can be of great advantage for these applications. LCOS-SLM can save complexity and weight. It also reduces the risk associated to the wear of moving parts.

However, this technology has not been qualified for space applications. Liquid crystal leaks as well as outgassing issues may result as a consequence of a low pressure environment. Thermal issues can also result in loss of device homogeneity and the radiation tolerance should be analyzed. In any case, an exhaustive space simulation test is mandatory to increase the Technological Readiness Level of these devices for their use in space systems.

In our work we are showing preliminary test of a commercial LCOS-SLM under thermo-vacuum conditions. These tests are basic calibrations used to evaluate performance and degradation in a simulated space environment. Different calibration procedures are also discussed. This technology, with potential to greatly simplify an instrument design, was included in a proposal for the instrument IMaX+ spectro-polarimeter, to be onboard the mission Sunrise III, within the NASA Long Duration Balloon program.

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