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At least 19 records

Aberration-corrected aspheric grating designs for the Lyman/Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer high-resolution spectrograph - A comparison

Two approaches to reducing the optical aberrations of concave diffraction gratings have been studied to obtain candidate grating designs for the Lyman/Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer mission. The first approach involves shaping the grating substrate while using straight and equally spaced grooves. The second approach involves using a gating substrate with a relatively simple figure and holographically controlling the groove curvature and spacing. Specific designs derived from both approaches are analyzed and compared.

Trout, Catherine↗

Designing Dielectric Grating Filters with PGAPACK

The chapter is concerned with the design of planar dielectric layer diffraction gratings, which exhibit sharp resonances due to the coupling of exterior evanescent diffractive fields to the leaky modes of dielectric waveguides.

genetic algorithms↗

Variable line-space gratings - New designs for use in grazing incidence spectrometers

An account is given of a fundamentally different approach to the use of variable line-space gratings for grazing incidence spectrometers. In the new approach, the gratings are flat and they are placed to intercept the converging beam from a collecting mirror rather than the diverging beam from a slit. This results in (1) small aberrations over a wide instantaneous range in wavelength, (2) a modest required variation in line spacing across the ruled width, (3) a simultaneous minimization of both the spectral and image height aberrations, and (4) a completely stigmatic zero order image. The slitless arrangement common to these designs is very compact, having no additional length behind the focal plane of the collecting mirror. In-plane and conical fan designs are considered. One combination design, in the form of an echelle spectrometer, is discussed. The designs are considered to represent ideal candidates for moderate to high resolution spectrometers on such missions as the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE, now Columbus) and the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF).

Hettrick, M. C.↗

X-/Ka-band dichroic plate design and grating lobe study

An X-/Ka-band dichroic plate is needed for simultaneously receiving X-band and Ka-band in the DSS-13 Beam Waveguide Antenna. The plate is transparent to the allocated Ka-band downlink (31.8-32.3 GHz) and the frequency band for the Mars Observer Ka-band Beacon Link Experiment (KABLE) (33.6-33.8 GHz), while at the same time reflecting the X-band downlink (8.4-8.5 GHz). The design is made using a computer program for dichroic plates with rectangular holes. The theoretical performance of the X-/Ka-band dichroic plate is presented. A study of the grating lobe problem is also included in this article.

Chen, J. C.↗

High efficiency spectrographs for the EUV and soft X-rays

The use of grazing incidence optics and reflection grating designs is shown to be a method that improves the performance of spectrographs at wavelengths shorter than 1200 A. Emphasis is laid on spectroscopic designs for X ray and EUV astronomy, with sample designs for an objective reflection grating spectrograph (ORGS) and an echelle spectrograph for wavelengths longer than 100 A. Conical diffraction allows operations at grazing incidence in the echelle spectrograph. In ORGS, the extreme distance of X ray objects aids in collimating the source radiation, which encounters conical diffraction within the instrument, proceeds parallel to the optical axis, and arrives at the detector. A series of gratings is used to achieve the effect. A grazing echelle is employed for EUV observations, and offers a resolution of 20,000 over a 300 A bandpass.

Cash, W.↗

Curved grating fabrication techniques for concentric-circle grating, surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

We describe the fabrication and operational characteristics of a novel, surface-emitting semiconductor laser that makes use of a concentric-circle grating to both define its resonant cavity and to provide surface emission. A properly fabricated circular grating causes the laser to operate in radially inward- and outward-going circular waves in the waveguide, thus, introducing the circular symmetry needed for the laser to emit a beam with a circular cross-section. The basic circular-grating-resonator concept can be implemented in any materials system; an AlGaAs/GaAs graded-index, separate confinement heterostructure (GRINSCH), single-quantum-well (SQW) semiconductor laser, grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), was used for the experiments discussed here. Each concentric-circle grating was fabricated on the surface of the AlGaAs/GaAs semiconductor laser. The circular pattern was first defined by electron-beam (e-beam) lithography in a layer of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and subsequently etched into the semiconductor surface using chemically-assisted (chlorine) ion-beam etching (CAIBE). We consider issues that affect the fabrication and quality of the gratings. These issues include grating design requirements, data representation of the grating pattern, and e-beam scan method. We provide examples of how these techniques can be implemented and their impact on the resulting laser performance. A comparison is made of the results obtained using two fundamentally different electron-beam writing systems. Circular gratings with period lambda = 0.25 microns and overall diameters ranging from 80 microns to 500 microns were fabricated. We also report our successful demonstration of an optically pumped, concentric-circle grating, semiconductor laser that emits a beam with a far-field divergence angle that is less than one degree. The emission spectrum is quite narrow (less than 0.1 nm) and is centered at wavelength lambda = 0.8175 microns.

Jordan, Rebecca H.↗

Fabrication and Testing of Binary-Phase Fourier Gratings for Nonuniform Array Generation

This effort describes the fabrication and testing of binary-phase Fourier gratings designed to generate an incoherent array of output source points with nonuniform user-defined intensities, symmetric about the zeroth order. Like Dammann fanout gratings, these binary-phase Fourier gratings employ only two phase levels to generate a defined output array. Unlike Dammann fanout gratings, these gratings generate an array of nonuniform, user-defined intensities when projected into the far-field regime. The paper describes the process of design, fabrication, and testing for two different version of the binary-phase grating; one designed for a 12 micron wavelength, referred to as the Long-Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) grating, and one designed for a 5 micron wavelength, referred to as the Mid-Wavelength Infrared Grating (MWIR).

Keys, Andrew S.↗

On the Alignment and Focusing of the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS)

The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS) is a NASA sounding rocket instrument that is designed to observe soft X-ray emissions from 24 - 6.0 A (0.5 - 2.0 keV energies) in the solar atmosphere. For the rst time, high-temperature, low-emission plasma will be observed directly with 5 arcsecond spatial resolution and 22 mA spectral resolution. The unique optical design consists of a Wolter - I telescope and a 3-optic grazing- incidence spectrometer. The spectrometer utilizes a nite conjugate mirror pair and a blazed planar, varied line spaced grating, which is directly printed on a silicon substrate using e-beam lithography. The grating design is being nalized and the grating will be fabricated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Izentis LLC. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is producing the nickel replicated telescope and spectrometer mirrors using the same facilities and techniques as those developed for the ART-XC and FOXSI mirrors. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) will mount and align the optical sub-assemblies based on previous experience with similar instruments, such as the Hinode X-Ray Telescope (XRT). The telescope and spectrometer assembly will be aligned in visible light through the implementation of a theodolite and reference mirrors, in addition to the centroid detector assembly (CDA) { a device designed to align the AXAF-I nested mirrors. Focusing of the telescope and spectrometer will be achieved using the X-ray source in the Stray Light Facility (SLF) at MSFC. We present results from an alignment sensitivity analysis performed on the on the system and we also discuss the method for aligning and focusing MaGIXS.

solar↗

Performance of multilayer coated diffraction gratings in the EUV

The effect of multilayer coating application on the performance of a diffraction grating in the EUV spectral region was evaluated by examining the performance of a 3600-line/mm and a 1200-line/mm replica blazed gratings, designed for operation in the 300-A spectral region in first order. A ten-layer IrSi multilayer optimized for 304 A was deposited using electron-beam evaporation. The grating efficiency was measured on the SURF II calibration beamline in a chamber designed for calibrating the solar EUV rocket telescope and spectrograph multilayer coatings. A significant (by a factor of about 7) enhancement in grating efficiency in the 300-A region was demonstrated.

Keski-Kuha, Ritva A. M.↗

Fabricating Blazed Diffraction Gratings by X-Ray Lithography

Gray-scale x-ray lithography is undergoing development as a technique for fabricating blazed diffraction gratings. As such, gray-scale x-ray lithography now complements such other grating-fabrication techniques as mechanical ruling, holography, ion etching, laser ablation, laser writing, and electron-beam lithography. Each of these techniques offers advantages and disadvantages for implementing specific grating designs; no single one of these techniques can satisfy the design requirements for all applications. Gray-scale x-ray lithography is expected to be advantageous for making gratings on steeper substrates than those that can be made by electron-beam lithography. This technique is not limited to sawtooth groove profiles and flat substrates: various groove profiles can be generated on arbitrarily shaped (including highly curved) substrates with the same ease as sawtooth profiles can be generated on flat substrates. Moreover, the gratings fabricated by this technique can be made free of ghosts (spurious diffraction components attributable to small spurious periodicities in the locations of grooves). The first step in gray-scale x-ray lithography is to conformally coat a substrate with a suitable photoresist. An x-ray mask (see Figure 1) is generated, placed between the substrate and a source of collimated x-rays, and scanned over the substrate so as to create a spatial modulation in the exposure of the photoresist. Development of the exposed photoresist results in a surface corrugation that corresponds to the spatial modulation and that defines the grating surface. The grating pattern is generated by scanning an appropriately shaped x-ray area mask along the substrate. The mask example of Figure 1 would generate a blazed grating profile when scanned in the perpendicular direction at constant speed, assuming the photoresist responds linearly to incident radiation. If the resist response is nonlinear, then the mask shape can be modified to account for the nonlinearity and produce a desired groove profile. An example of grating grooves generated by this technique is shown in Figure 2. A maximum relative efficiency of 88 percent has been demonstrated.

Mouroulis, Pantazis↗

Low blaze angle grating for fully dispersive x-ray spectroscopy

We demonstrate fabrication of an ultra-low blaze angle (LBA) grating designed for time-resolved spectroscopy in the x-ray region. A blaze angle of 0.12° was achieved by the groove depth reduction process providing a perfect saw-tooth shape of the grooves. The 200 lines/mm LBA grating exhibited high diffraction efficiency at a photon energy of 8 KeV. Use in a spectrometer would open up dispersive x-ray absorption spectroscopy across a wide energy range including the K edges of 3d transition metals, with much greater efficiency than traditional crystal spectrometers.

Voronov, D. L.↗

A solar extreme ultraviolet telescope and spectrograph for space shuttle. Volume 1: Investigation and technical plan

A scientific investigation of heating and mass transport in the solar corona that is currently planned for a future Shuttle/Spacelab flight is outlined. The instrument to be used is a near-normal incidence grating spectrograph fed by a grazing incidence Wolter Type 2 telescope. A toroidal grating design provides stigmatic images of the corona up to 8 arc min in extent over the spectral region from 225 A to 370 A. Spatial resolution of at least 2 arc sec and spectral resolution of 0.050 A is achievable throughout the central 4 arc min field or view. Primary scientific data are recorded on Schumann-type film. An H-alpha slit jaw monitor and zero order extreme ultraviolet monitor are also planned to support instrument operation.

Neupert, W. M.↗

Integrated Grating Spectrometer

Proposed integrated grating spectrometer made in waveguide layer on silicon wafer. Occupies area of about 2 centimeters to 2nd power on wafer 0.4 mm thick. Operates in visible spectrum (wavelengths of 400 to 700 nm) and blazed to diffract in first order. Array of integrated grating spectrometers performs spectral analysis of picture elements along line. Optical fiber couples light from each picture element into separate integrated spectrometer. Technique enables continous independent variation, along grating, of pitch, curvature, and blaze angle. Grating designed to have large numerical aperture, zero aberration at two selected wavelengths, and very low aberration at intermediate wavelengths.

Lang, Robert J.↗

Micro-Optic Color Separation Technology for Efficient Projection Displays

Phase 1 of this project focused on development of an overall optical concept which incorporated a single liquid crystal spatial light modulator. The system achieved full color by utilizing an echelon grating, which diffracted the incident light into three orders with different color spectra, in combination with a microlens array, which spatially separated RGB bands and directed the light of the appropriate wavelength to the appropriate color dot. Preliminary echelon grating designs were provided by MIT/LL and reviewed by Rockwell. Additional Rockwell activities included the Identification of microlens designs, light sources (ILC), and projection optics to fulfill the overall design requirements. An Internal subcontract was established with Rockwell's Collins Avionics and Communications Division (CACD) which specified the liquid crystal SLM (Sharp Model No. LQ 46EO2) and built the projection display baseline projector. Full Color projected video images were produced and shown at the 1995 HDS meeting in Washington. Analysis of the luminance performance of the projector and detailed parameter trade studies helped define the dependence of overall display efficiency on lamp collimation, and indicated that a lamp with very small arc dimension is required for the optical concept to be viable.

Gunning, W. J.↗

Rectangular Relief Diffraction Gratings for Coherent Lidar Beam Scanning

The application of specialized rectangular relief transmission gratings to coherent lidar beam scanning is presented. Two types of surface relief transmission grating approaches are studied with an eye toward potential insertion of a constant thickness, diffractive scanner where refractive wedges now exist. The first diffractive approach uses vertically oriented relief structure in the surface of an optical flat; illumination of the diffractive scanner is off-normal in nature. The second grating design case describes rectangular relief structure slanted at a prescribed angle with respect to the surface. In this case, illumination is normal to the diffractive scanner. In both cases, performance predictions for 2.0 micron, circularly polarized light at beam deflection angles of 30 or 45 degrees are presented.

Cole, H. J.↗