| Popis: |
Recent trends in focal plane array (FPA) technology have led naturally to the development of very large format remote sensors that require optically fast, wide field-of-view (FOV) imaging optics. Systems that cover broad spectral ranges, such as multispectral imagers (MSI) and hyperspectral imagers (HSI), require reflective optics to provide aberration and distortion control without the complication of wavelength dependent errors induced by powered refractive elements. These large format systems require even wider fields-of-view than offered by the conventional three-mirror anastigmat (TMA) and four-mirror anastigmat (4MA) designs. Recently, Raytheon has demonstrated in hardware the first-ever aligned and tested five-mirror anastigmat (5MA) imager. The 5MA was designed with an F/3.0 optical speed and a 36 degree cross-scan FOV for use with a large format imaging spectrometer. The 5MA imager has useful features such as: (1) a real entrance pupil to support a full-aperture calibrator or a small scan mirror, (2) an intermediate image for stray light control, and (3) a real exit pupil for optimal cold-shielding in infrared applications. A computer-aided alignment method was used to align the 5MA imager with a final target of balanced wavefront error (WFE) across the full 36 deg FOV. This paper discusses the design and development of the first-ever 5MA imager and some potential air- and space-borne remote sensing applications. |
