Structural optimization of system WFE

Abstract

The ultimate design goal of an imaging optical system subjected to thermal and dynamic loads is to minimize system level wavefront error (WFE). System WFE is impossible to predict from finite element random response results due to the loss of phase information. In the past, the use of system WFE was limited by the difficulty of obtaining a linear optics model (LOM). In this paper, an automated method for determining system level WFE using a linear optics model is presented. The technique is applied to a simple telescope using structural optimization to automatically handle the conflicting design requirements of thermal and random response loads. The technique is demonstrated by example with SigFit, a commercially available tool integrating mechanical analysis with optical analysis.