Jacqueline M. Roche

The wavefront correction control system for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

An important part of a large solar telescope is the ability to correct, in real time, optical alignment errors caused by gravitational bending of the telescope structure and wavefront errors caused by atmospheric seeing. The National Solar Observatory is currently designing the 4 meter Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST). The ATST wavefront correction system, described in this paper, will incorporate a number of interacting wavefront control systems to provide diffraction limited imaging performance. We will describe these systems and summarize the interaction between the various sub-systems and present results of performance modeling.

X-Ray Optics at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) engages in research, development, design, fabrication, coating, assembly, and testing of grazing-incidence optics (primarily) for x-ray telescope systems. Over the past two decades, MSFC has refined processes for electroformed-nickel replication of grazing-incidence optics, in order to produce highstrength, thin-walled, full-cylinder x-ray mirrors. In recent years, MSFC has used this technology to fabricate numerous x-ray mirror assemblies for several flight (balloon, rocket, and satellite) programs. Additionally, MSFC has demonstrated the suitability of this technology for ground-based laboratory applications—namely, x-ray microscopes and cold-neutron microscopes and concentrators. This mature technology enables the production, at moderately low cost, of reasonably lightweight x-ray telescopes with good (15–30 arcsecond) angular resolution. However, achieving arcsecond imaging for a lightweight x-ray telescope likely requires development of other technologies. Accordingly, MSFC is conducting a multi-faceted research program toward enabling cost-effective production of lightweight high-resolution x-ray mirror assemblies. Relevant research topics currently under investigation include differential deposition for post-fabrication figure correction, in-situ monitoring and control of coating stress, and direct fabrication of thin-walled full-cylinder grazing-incidence mirrors.

Development of a Direct Fabrication Technique for Full-Shell X-Ray Optics

Future astrophysical missions will require fabrication technology capable of producing high angular resolution x-ray optics. A full-shell direct fabrication approach using modern robotic polishing machines has the potential for producing high resolution, light-weight and affordable x-ray mirrors that can be nested to produce large collecting area. This approach to mirror fabrication, based on the use of the metal substrates coated with nickel phosphorous alloy, is being pursued at MSFC. A model of the wear pattern as a function of numerous physical parameters is developed and verified using a mandrel sample. The results of the polishing experiments are presented.

Mounting for fabrication, metrology, and assembly of full-shell grazing-incidence optics

Future x-ray telescopes will likely require lightweight mirrors to attain the large collecting areas needed to accomplish the science objectives. Understanding and demonstrating processes now is critical to achieving sub-arcsecond performance in the future. Consequently, designs not only of the mirrors but of fixtures for supporting them during fabrication, metrology, handling, assembly, and testing must be adequately modeled and verified. To this end, MSFC is using finite-element modeling to study the effects of mounting on thin, full-shell grazing-incidence mirrors, during all processes leading to flight mirror assemblies. Here we report initial results of this study.

Active figure control effects on mounting strategy for x-ray optics

As part of ongoing development efforts at MSFC, we have begun to investigate mounting strategies for highly nested xray optics in both full-shell and segmented configurations. The analytical infrastructure for this effort also lends itself to investigation of active strategies. We expect that a consequence of active figure control on relatively thin substrates is that errors are propagated to the edges, where they might affect the effective precision of the mounting points. Based upon modeling, we describe parametrically, the conditions under which active mounts are preferred over fixed ones, and the effect of active figure corrections on the required number, locations, and kinematic characteristics of mounting points.

Opto-mechanical analyses for performance optimization of lightweight grazing-incidence mirrors

New technology in grazing-incidence mirror fabrication and assembly is necessary to achieve subarcsecond optics for large-area x-ray telescopes. In order to define specifications, an understanding of performance sensitivity to design parameters is crucial. MSFC is undertaking a systematic study to specify a mounting approach, mirror substrate, and testing method. Lightweight mirrors are typically flimsy and are, therefore, susceptible to significant distortion due to mounting and gravitational forces. Material properties of the mirror substrate along with its dimensions significantly affect the distortions caused by mounting and gravity. A parametric study of these properties and their relationship to mounting and testing schemes will indicate specifications for the design of the next generation of lightweight grazing-incidence mirrors. Here we report initial results of this study.

Active Full-Shell Grazing-Incidence Optics

MSFC has a long history of developing full-shell grazing-incidence x-ray optics for both narrow (pointed) and wide field (surveying) applications. The concept presented in this paper shows the potential to use active optics to switch between narrow and wide-field geometries, while maintaining large effective area and high angular resolution. In addition, active optics has the potential to reduce errors due to mounting and manufacturing lightweight optics. The design presented corrects low spatial frequency error and has significantly fewer actuators than other concepts presented thus far in the field of active x-ray optics. Using a finite element model, influence functions are calculated using active components on a full-shell grazing-incidence optic. Next, the ability of the active optic to effect a change of optical prescription and to correct for errors due to manufacturing and mounting is modeled.

Direct Fabrication of Full-Shell X-Ray Optics

The next generation of astrophysical missions will require fabrication technology capable of producing high angular resolution x-ray mirrors. A full-shell direct fabrication approach using modern robotic polishing machines has the potential for producing stiff and light-weight shells that can be heavily nested, to produce large collecting areas, and are easier to mount, align and assemble, giving improved angular resolution. This approach to mirror fabrication, is being pursued at MSFC. The current status of this direct fabrication technology is presented.

MCAO: a case study

Quantifying the results for a multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) system is more complex than a traditional adaptive optics (AO) system. The complexity of analyzing a MCAO system stems from using multiple deformable mirrors (DMs) and quantifying the influence functions at the wavefront sensor (WFS). In this paper, analysis tools are developed to quantify MCAO performance. Influence functions from two deformable mirrors are propagated to a WFS using CODEV to simulate an MCAO design comparable to the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST). Using MATLAB, the propagated influence functions are mapped to the appropriate field positions, and reconstructor matrices are built using the mapped influence functions. Next, a correctability analysis was performed using theoretical random phase screens. The developed tools are versatile and useful as a system design tool and in a laboratory setting.