spostrzeżenie - Optics and Photonics - # Custom Wide-Band Camera Lens for Astronomical Instrumentation

Design of a Custom Wide-Band Camera Lens for the MISTRAL Imager-Spectrograph

Q: How could the custom lens design be further optimized to extend the spectral coverage beyond the 400-1000nm range?

To extend the spectral coverage of the custom lens design beyond the 400-1000nm range, several strategies could be employed. First, the selection of lens materials is crucial; incorporating glasses with lower dispersion and higher transmission in the ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) regions could enhance performance. For instance, materials like Fused Silica or specialized UV glasses could be considered for the shortwave extension below 400nm, while IR-optimized materials could be used for extending coverage beyond 1000nm. Additionally, the optical design could be modified to include more elements or different configurations, such as adding a second set of aspherical lenses specifically designed for the extended wavelengths. This would help in correcting chromatic aberrations that become more pronounced at the edges of the spectral range. Implementing advanced coatings, such as broadband anti-reflective coatings tailored for the extended range, would also improve throughput and minimize losses due to reflection. Finally, computational optimization techniques, such as genetic algorithms or ray-tracing simulations, could be utilized to refine the lens shape and arrangement, ensuring that the optical performance remains high across the broader spectral range while maintaining the desired f/# and resolution.

Q: What are the potential trade-offs between the improved performance of the custom lens and the increased complexity and cost compared to the commercial lenses?

The development of a custom lens for the MISTRAL spectrograph presents several trade-offs between improved performance and increased complexity and cost. On one hand, the custom lens design offers significant advantages in terms of throughput, resolution, and the ability to cover a wider spectral range without the need for manual lens changes. This can lead to enhanced scientific output, particularly for time-sensitive observations such as gamma-ray bursts and supernovae classifications. However, these performance improvements come at the cost of increased complexity in both design and manufacturing. The custom lens requires precise tolerances and advanced fabrication techniques, particularly for the aspherical surfaces, which can be challenging and expensive to produce. Additionally, the integration of the custom lens into the existing optical system may necessitate modifications to the opto-mechanical design, further increasing costs and complexity. Moreover, the reliance on specialized materials and coatings may lead to longer lead times and higher procurement costs compared to readily available commercial lenses. This could impact project timelines and budgets, making it essential to weigh the scientific benefits against the financial and logistical implications of developing a custom solution.

Q: How could the custom lens design be adapted to work with other astronomical instruments beyond the MISTRAL spectrograph?

The custom lens design for the MISTRAL spectrograph could be adapted for use with other astronomical instruments by considering several key factors. First, the optical specifications, such as focal length, aperture size, and spectral range, would need to be aligned with the requirements of the new instrument. This may involve modifying the lens design to accommodate different focal ratios or imaging formats, ensuring compatibility with various detectors or cameras. Second, the optical layout could be adjusted to fit different configurations, such as multi-object spectrographs or wide-field imaging systems. This might include redesigning the lens arrangement to optimize for specific field sizes or to minimize vignetting in larger fields of view. Additionally, the custom lens could be integrated into adaptive optics systems, where its design could be tailored to work in conjunction with wavefront sensors and deformable mirrors. This would enhance image quality by compensating for atmospheric distortions, making the lens suitable for high-resolution imaging applications. Finally, collaboration with other research institutions or observatories could facilitate the sharing of design insights and technological advancements, allowing for the development of versatile lens systems that can be adapted for various astronomical applications, from ground-based telescopes to space observatories.

Główne pojęcia

A custom-designed wide-band camera lens is proposed to replace the commercial lenses currently used in the MISTRAL imager-spectrograph, providing improved throughput, resolution, and spectral coverage.

Streszczenie

The MISTRAL instrument is a visible and near-infrared imager and spectrograph developed for the 1.93m telescope at l'Observatoire de Haute Provence. It currently uses interchangeable commercial lenses to cover the full spectral range, which has limitations in terms of throughput, vignetting, and spectral coverage.

The proposed custom lens design aims to address these issues. It uses a 5-lens configuration with two aspheric surfaces to cover the 400-1000nm waveband with a focal length of 100mm and f/# = 2. The design is optimized for both imaging and low-resolution spectroscopy modes.

Key performance improvements include:

Improved throughput of 79-98% across the 400-1000nm range, compared to the commercial lenses.
Uniform image quality across the field of view, with 84% of the energy concentrated within ±1 pixel.
Spectral resolving power up to R = 1675 in the near-infrared, a 57% improvement over the commercial lenses.
The design is shown to be technologically feasible, with tolerances that can be practically achieved.

Overall, the custom lens design provides significant advantages over the current commercial lenses used in the MISTRAL instrument, enabling enhanced scientific capabilities in both imaging and spectroscopic observations.

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Statystyki

The custom lens design has a focal length of 100mm and f/# = 2.
The throughput varies from 79% to 98% across the 400-1000nm waveband with a commercial AR coating.
The spectral resolving power reaches up to R = 1675 in the near-infrared, a 57% improvement over the commercial lenses.

Cytaty

"The proposed design has the focal length of 100mm with f/# = 2 and consists of 5 lenses with 2 aspheres. It is capable to work in spectroscopy or direct imaging mode with the spectral resolving power up to R590−1675 or energy concentration of 84% within ±1pix."
"The throughput varies from 79to98% in the main band of 400-1000 nm with a commercial AR coating and could be yet improved with a custom one."

Kluczowe wnioski z

Design of a custom wideband camera for MISTRAL imager-spectrograph

by Eduard Musli... o arxiv.org 10-03-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2410.01414.pdf

Design of a custom wideband camera for MISTRAL imager-spectrograph

Głębsze pytania

How could the custom lens design be further optimized to extend the spectral coverage beyond the 400-1000nm range?

To extend the spectral coverage of the custom lens design beyond the 400-1000nm range, several strategies could be employed. First, the selection of lens materials is crucial; incorporating glasses with lower dispersion and higher transmission in the ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) regions could enhance performance. For instance, materials like Fused Silica or specialized UV glasses could be considered for the shortwave extension below 400nm, while IR-optimized materials could be used for extending coverage beyond 1000nm.
Additionally, the optical design could be modified to include more elements or different configurations, such as adding a second set of aspherical lenses specifically designed for the extended wavelengths. This would help in correcting chromatic aberrations that become more pronounced at the edges of the spectral range. Implementing advanced coatings, such as broadband anti-reflective coatings tailored for the extended range, would also improve throughput and minimize losses due to reflection.
Finally, computational optimization techniques, such as genetic algorithms or ray-tracing simulations, could be utilized to refine the lens shape and arrangement, ensuring that the optical performance remains high across the broader spectral range while maintaining the desired f/# and resolution.

What are the potential trade-offs between the improved performance of the custom lens and the increased complexity and cost compared to the commercial lenses?

The development of a custom lens for the MISTRAL spectrograph presents several trade-offs between improved performance and increased complexity and cost. On one hand, the custom lens design offers significant advantages in terms of throughput, resolution, and the ability to cover a wider spectral range without the need for manual lens changes. This can lead to enhanced scientific output, particularly for time-sensitive observations such as gamma-ray bursts and supernovae classifications.
However, these performance improvements come at the cost of increased complexity in both design and manufacturing. The custom lens requires precise tolerances and advanced fabrication techniques, particularly for the aspherical surfaces, which can be challenging and expensive to produce. Additionally, the integration of the custom lens into the existing optical system may necessitate modifications to the opto-mechanical design, further increasing costs and complexity.
Moreover, the reliance on specialized materials and coatings may lead to longer lead times and higher procurement costs compared to readily available commercial lenses. This could impact project timelines and budgets, making it essential to weigh the scientific benefits against the financial and logistical implications of developing a custom solution.

How could the custom lens design be adapted to work with other astronomical instruments beyond the MISTRAL spectrograph?

The custom lens design for the MISTRAL spectrograph could be adapted for use with other astronomical instruments by considering several key factors. First, the optical specifications, such as focal length, aperture size, and spectral range, would need to be aligned with the requirements of the new instrument. This may involve modifying the lens design to accommodate different focal ratios or imaging formats, ensuring compatibility with various detectors or cameras.
Second, the optical layout could be adjusted to fit different configurations, such as multi-object spectrographs or wide-field imaging systems. This might include redesigning the lens arrangement to optimize for specific field sizes or to minimize vignetting in larger fields of view.
Additionally, the custom lens could be integrated into adaptive optics systems, where its design could be tailored to work in conjunction with wavefront sensors and deformable mirrors. This would enhance image quality by compensating for atmospheric distortions, making the lens suitable for high-resolution imaging applications.
Finally, collaboration with other research institutions or observatories could facilitate the sharing of design insights and technological advancements, allowing for the development of versatile lens systems that can be adapted for various astronomical applications, from ground-based telescopes to space observatories.