Reference flat for space optics

This component is crucial for an optical test system being developed for a space optics organisation.

The optical test system is designed to align and test long focal length, large aperture multi-component optical systems without compromising optical quality. Benefiting from a highly stable production environment and employing proprietary polishing techniques, Optical Surfaces routinely produces large diameter reference flats with a typical wavefront error of up to lambda/20 p-v, surface roughness of less than 10 Å rms, and a surface finish ranging from 40/20 to 10/5 scratch/dig.

Asked why he had picked Optical Surfaces as a partner for this supply contract – Mr MoonWhe Hur, Director of JEEWOO Photonics said: “There are few optics manufacturers in the world able to produce optics of such size and with the specialised test equipment to demonstrate conformance to the ultra-high precision finish specification. Over the years we have worked closely with Optical Surfaces on a series of demanding optical development projects which because of their highly skilled staff have all been successful with deliveries kept to time."

Dr Aris Kouris – Sales Director of Optical Surfaces Ltd commented: “We were delighted again to be selected by JEEWOO Photonics as a supply partner. The production of the large CLEARCERAM-Z reference flat is well underway, we hope to move onto final polishing and testing soon. To enable us to quality test large diameter reference – we developed a large aperture Fizeau interferometer. Housed in an ultra-stable testing environment, this interferometric set-up allows direct qualification of large diameter reference flats by testing them directly over their complete aperture."