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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

Theoferometer for High Accuracy Optical Alignment and Metrology

The accurate measurement of the orientation of optical parts and systems is a pressing problem for upcoming space missions, such as stellar interferometers, requiring the knowledge and maintenance of positions to the sub-arcsecond level. Theodolites, the devices commonly used to make these measurements, cannot provide the needed level of accuracy. This paper describes the design, construction, and testing of an interferometer system to fill the widening gap between future requirements and current capabilities. A Twyman-Green interferometer mounted on a 2 degree of freedom rotation stage is able to obtain sub-arcsecond, gravity-referenced tilt measurements of a sample alignment cube. Dubbed a 'theoferometer,' this device offers greater ease-of-use, accuracy, and repeatability than conventional methods, making it a suitable 21st-century replacement for the theodolite.

Toland, Ronald↗
NASA NTRS2004

High Precision Metrology on the Ultra-Lightweight W 50.8 cm f/1.25 Parabolic SHARPI Primary Mirror using a CGH Null Lens

For potential use on the SHARPI mission, Eastman Kodak has delivered a 50.8cm CA f/1.25 ultra-lightweight UV parabolic mirror with a surface figure error requirement of 6nm RMS. We address the challenges involved in verifying and mapping the surface error of this large lightweight mirror to +/-3nm using a diffractive CGH null lens. Of main concern is removal of large systematic errors resulting from surface deflections of the mirror due to gravity as well as smaller contributions from system misalignment and reference optic errors. We present our efforts to characterize these errors and remove their wavefront error contribution in post-processing as well as minimizing the uncertainty these calculations introduce. Data from Kodak and preliminary measurements from NASA Goddard will be included.

Antonille, Scott↗
NASA NTRS2005

Poco Graphite Mirror Metrology Report

Recently a lightweight mirror technology was tested at Marshall Space Flight Center's Space Optic Manufacturing Technology Center (MSFC, SOMTC). The mirror is a Poco Graphite CVD Si clad SiC substrate. It was tested for cryogenic (cryo) survivability to 20deg Kelvin in SOMTC's X-ray Calibration and Cryogenic Test Facility. The surface figure of the mirror was measured before and after cry0 cycling. The test technique and results are discussed.

Kester, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Quantum metrology

This paper addresses the formal equivalence between the Mach-Zehnder interferometer, the Ramsey spectroscope, and a specific quantum logical gate. Based on this equivalence we introduce the quantum Rosetta Stone, and we describe a projective measurement scheme for generating the desired correlations between the interferometric input states in order to achieve Heisenberg-limited sensitivity.

quantum interferometry lithography projective meas↗
NASA NTRS2009

Laser Metrology Heterodyne Phase-Locked Loop

A method reduces sensitivity to noise in a signal from a laser heterodyne interferometer. The phase-locked loop (PLL) removes glitches that occur in a zero-crossing detector s output [that can happen if the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the heterodyne signal is low] by the use of an internal oscillator that produces a square-wave signal at a frequency that is inherently close to the heterodyne frequency. It also contains phase-locking circuits that lock the phase of the oscillator to the output of the zero-crossing detector. Because the PLL output is an oscillator signal, it is glitch-free. This enables the ability to make accurate phase measurements in spite of low SNR, creates an immunity to phase error caused by shifts in the heterodyne frequency (i.e. if the target moves causing Doppler shift), and maintains a valid phase even when the signal drops out for brief periods of time, such as when the laser is blocked by a stray object.

Loya, Frank↗
NASA NTRS2008

Range-Gated Metrology with Compact Optical Head

This work represents a radical simplification in the design of the optical head needed for high-precision laser ranging applications. The optical head is now a single fiber-optic collimator with dimensions of order of 1 1 2 cm, which can be easily integrated into the system being measured with minimal footprint.

Dubovitsky, Serge↗
NASA NTRS2010

Figure and Dimension Metrology of Extremely Lightweight X-Ray Mirrors for Space Astronomy Applications

The International X-ray Observatory (IXO) is the next major space X-ray observatory, performing both imaging and spectroscopic studies of all kinds of objects in the Universe. It is a collaborative mission of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States, the European Space Agency, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. It is to be launched into a Sun-Earth L2 orbit in 2021. One of the most challenging aspects of the mission is the construction of a flight mirror assembly capable focusing X-rays in the band of 0.1 to 40 keY with an angular resolution of better than 5 arc-seconds and with an effective collection area of more than 3 sq m. The mirror assembly will consist of approximately 15,000 parabolic and hyperbolic mirror segments, each of which is approximately 200mm by 300mm with a thickness of 0.4mm. The manufacture and qualification of these mirror segments and their integration into the giant mirror assembly have been the objectives of a vigorous technology development program at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Each of these mirror segments needs to be measured and qualified for both optical figure and mechanical dimensions. In this talk, I will describe the technology program with a particular emphasis on a measurement system we are developing to meet those requirements, including the use of coordinate measuring machines, Fizeau interferometers, and custom-designed, and -built null lens. This system is capable of measuring highly off-axis aspherical or cylindrical mirrors with repeatability, accuracy, and speed.

Zhang, William W.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Metrology Requirements of Future X-Ray Telescopes

Fundamental needs for future x-ray telescopes: a) Sharp images => excellent angular resolution. b) High throughput => large aperture areas. Generation-X optics technical challenges: a) High resolution => precision mirrors & alignment. b) Large apertures => lots of lightweight mirrors. Innovation needed for technical readiness: a) 4 top-level error terms contribute to image size. b) There are approaches to controlling those errors. Innovation needed for manufacturing readiness: Programmatic issues are at least as severe

Gubarev, Mikhail↗
NASA NTRS2006

Interferometer for Low-Uncertainty Vector Metrology

A simplified schematic diagram of a tilt-sensing unequal-path interferometer set up to measure the orientation of the normal vector of one surface of a cube mounted on a structure under test is described herein. This interferometer has been named a "theoferometer" to express both its interferometric nature and the intention to use it instead of an autocollimating theodolite. The theoferometer optics are mounted on a plate, which is in turn mounted on orthogonal air bearings for near-360 rotation in azimuth and elevation. Rough alignment of the theoferometer to the test cube is done by hand, with fine position adjustment provided by a tangent arm drive using linear inchwormlike motors.

Toland, Ronald W.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Gauges for Highly Precise Metrology of a Compound Mirror

Three optical gauges have been developed for guiding the assembly and measuring precisely the reflecting surfaces of a compound mirror that comprises a corner-cube retroreflector glued in a hole on a flat mirror. In the specific application for which the gauges were developed, the compound mirror is part of a siderostat in a stellar interferometer. The flat-mirror portion of the compound mirror is the siderostat mirror; the retroreflector portion of the compound mirror is to be used, during operation of the interferometer, to monitor the location of the siderostat mirror surface relative to other optical surfaces of the interferometer. Nominally, the optical corner of the retroreflector should lie precisely on the siderostat mirror surface, but this precision cannot be achieved in fabrication: in practice, there remains some distance between the optical corner and the siderostat mirror surface. For proper operation of the interferometer, it is required to make this distance as small as possible and to know this distance within 1 nm. The three gauges make it possible to satisfy these requirements.

Gursel, Yekta↗
NASA NTRS2005

Laser Metrology for an Optical-Path-Length Modulator

Laser gauges have been developed to satisfy requirements specific to monitoring the amplitude of the motion of an optical-path-length modulator that is part of an astronomical interferometer. The modulator includes a corner-cube retroreflector driven by an electromagnetic actuator. During operation of the astronomical interferometer, the electromagnet is excited to produce linear reciprocating motion of the corner-cube retroreflector at an amplitude of 2 to 4 mm at a frequency of 250, 750, or 1,250 Hz. Attached to the corner-cube retroreflector is a small pick-off mirror. To suppress vibrations, a counterweight having a mass equal to that of the corner-cube retroreflector and pick-off mirror is mounted on another electromagnetic actuator that is excited in opposite phase. Each gauge is required to measure the amplitude of the motion of the pick-off mirror, assuming that the motions of the pick-off mirror and the corner-cube retroreflector are identical, so as to measure the amplitude of motion of the corner- cube retroreflector to within an error of the order of picometers at each excitation frequency. Each gauge is a polarization-insensitive heterodyne interferometer that includes matched collimators, beam separators, and photodiodes (see figure). The light needed for operation of the gauge comprises two pairs of laser beams, the beams in each pair being separated by a beat frequency of 80 kHz. The laser beams are generated by an apparatus, denoted the heterodyne plate, that includes stabilized helium-neon lasers, acousto-optical modulators, and associated optical and electronic subsystems. The laser beams are coupled from the heterodyne plate to the collimators via optical fibers.

Gursel, Yekta↗
NASA NTRS2011

Rules for Optical Metrology

Based on 30 years of optical testing experience, I have defined seven guiding principles for optical testing. This paper introduces these rules and discusses examples of their application.

Stahl, H. Philip↗