190 likes | 299 Views
Lisa Phillips Textron Systems Mentor: Robert Nolan Advisor: Robert Lercari R&D Team: Tim Georges, Curtis Krupp Chris Matsuura, Donna Rohrer, Clint Smith Home Institution: Maui Community College. Optimizing the Throughput of an Optical System. Outline. The Air Force and Textron Systems
E N D
Lisa Phillips Textron Systems Mentor: Robert Nolan Advisor: Robert Lercari R&D Team: Tim Georges, Curtis Krupp Chris Matsuura, Donna Rohrer, Clint Smith Home Institution: Maui Community College Optimizing the Throughput of an Optical System
Outline The Air Force and Textron Systems The Laser Beam Director (LBD) Transmitting Telescope The Beam Relay Optics System The Focus of My Project Component Limitations Measuring Light Throughput Efficiency Results and Analysis
The Air Force and Textron The Air Force Active imaging ladar systems Mission of tracking and identifying dim space objects Textron Systems Developed technology to support this mission
The Maui Space Surveillance Site Laser Beam Laser Return AEOS 3.6m LBD 0.6m
The Laser Beam Director (LBD) Transmitting Telescope Laser LBD telescope Beam relay optics Laser LBD Coude Path Beam Relay Optics
The Beam Relay Optics System • Two Jobs • Direct the laser beam • Modify the laser beam • Includes • Mirrors • Beam expanders • Cube beam splitter
The Focus of My Project • Maximize the light throughput of the beam relay optics system • To increase the amount of light illuminating the object of interest
Light Throughput Loss • Light loss occurs whenever light is • Absorbed • Reflected • Transmitted • Every component of the system contributes to light throughput loss
Mirrors • Use • to change the direction of the laser beam • Limitations of Real Mirrors • Part is reflected (specular reflection) • Part is absorbed • Part is scattered (diffuse reflection) http://www.play-hookey.com
Beam Expander • Use • Increase the diameter • Decrease the divergence • Limitations • Mirrors • Structure http://www.arachnoid.com
Cube Beam Splitter • Use • Splits a beam into two beams • Limitations • Part is transmitted • Part is reflected • Part is absorbed http://rp-photonics.com
Measuring Light Throughput Efficiency • Use a power meter • To measure Power In and Power Out • Light throughput efficiency • (Power out/Power in)*100% • High efficiency
Cube Beam Splitter • Problem • Estimated reflecting 30% • Test Results
Analysis of the Cube Beam Splitter • Light throughput efficiency • (103mW/128mW)*100% = 80%
Pellicle Beam Splitter • Benefits • Thin membrane • Limitations • Thin membrane • Test results http://www.cvilaser.com
Analysis of the Pellicle Beam Splitter • Light throughput efficiency • (120mW/128mW)*100% = 94%
Pellicle vs. Cube • Improvement of the light throughput efficiency • 94% - 80% = 14%
Conclusion • Pellicle • Optical System Analysis • Beam Expanders • Mirrors
Textron Don Ruffatto Robert Nolan Robert Lercari Timothy Georges Curtis Krupp Chris Matsuura Donna Rohrer Clint Smith David Schultz Charles Thurber Lianne Combo Caroline Fuji Arlen Hall Kelly Kobayashi Captain Wright (USAF) Maui Community College Mark Hoffman Center for Adaptive Optics & Akamai Workforce Initiative Lisa Hunter Lani Lebron Nina Arnberg Mike Nassir Short Course Instructors Dave Harrington Mike Foley Mark Pitts Acknowledgments The 2009 Maui Akamai Internship Program is funded by the University of Hawaii, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the National Science Foundation Center for Adaptive Optics (NSF #AST - 9876783)..