Video presentation: Ion beam figuring for telescope mirrors of different sizes
In this video presentation, our sales director Marcel Demmler introduces the ion beam figuring technology for surface error correction of telescope mirrors under high vacuum conditions.
First, he shows two different types of telescopes: an X-ray telescope (Lynx) and a ground-based telescope (Extremely Large Telescope, ELT). Both have a very different mirror architecture, but they have in common that after grinding and polishing an additional process step is required to achieve the needed surface homogeneity. For this purpose, ion beam figuring is used for the final surface treatment. The material removal on the mirror is controlled by the speed of the focused ion beam. Fast scanning means lower removal, slow scanning means higher removal on those positions. But the removal rate is not only determined by dwell time, material and ion beam energy, but also by the angle of incidence. Learn how our software precisely calculates the movement profile, even if the mirror is curved and the angle of incidence changes during surface processing.
At the end of the session, Marcel Demmler presents process results to demonstrate the nanometer accuracy of ion beam figuring.
Here you can see the presentation.
Technology
Learn more about ion beam figuring and other ion beam processes in our technology overview.
Application
In our Application Note we show you the results of sample mirrors treated by NASA with a scia Trim 200 ion beam figuring system.
Product
The scia Finish 1500 is used for final surface form error correction of high-precision lenses and mirrors.
Do you want to speak to one of our experts? Contact us:
scia Systems GmbH
Clemens-Winkler-Str. 6c
09116 Chemnitz
Germany
Tel: +49 371 33561-561