Common-Aperture Optical System Boresight Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical systems face challenges in maintaining precise boresight alignment of light sensors and light sources, especially in adverse environments, and struggle to combine different optical signals of varying wavelengths using a single telescope.
Innovation Solution
A common-aperture reflective telescope with a beam splitter and diverger lens is used to align and correct both input and output light beams, ensuring precise boresight alignment and avoiding chromatic aberration, while maintaining a compact and lightweight design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two separate telescopes are used for light collection and light transmission, then the functions are performed separately, but maintaining parallel boresight alignment becomes challenging under thermal expansion and environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light collection telescope and light transmission telescope into a single integrated optical system with a common aperture and shared optical path. The beam combiner merges the incoming light path and outgoing light path, allowing both functions to be performed through one telescope structure, thereby eliminating alignment drift between separate telescopes.
Solution Approach 2:
The single telescope structure serves multiple functions: it collects incoming light for the light sensor, transmits outgoing light from the light source, and provides a common boresight for both functions. The beam combiner enables the system to handle both incoming and outgoing beams through the same optical path, achieving multi-functionality in a unified structure.
2Device complexity
If a single telescope with common aperture is used for both light sensing and light transmission, then the system is more compact, but it becomes difficult to handle different optical signal characteristics such as different wavelengths and intensities
Solution Approach 1:
The beam combiner acts as an intermediary optical element that separates and directs different optical signals. It uses wavelength-selective properties to direct the outgoing light beam (typically laser wavelength) through the telescope while allowing the incoming light beam (sensor wavelength) to pass through to the sensor, enabling the single telescope to handle different optical signal characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam combiner introduces wavelength-specific optical properties at different locations in the optical path. Different portions of the spectrum are handled differently: the outgoing laser light is reflected by the beam combiner toward the telescope, while the incoming sensor light passes through the beam combiner to the sensor, allowing each wavelength to be optimized for its specific function.
3Manufacturing precision
If reflective optics are used in the common aperture telescope, then chromatic aberration is avoided for different wavelengths, but the optical path management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reflective telescope optics with the beam combiner in a unified optical path. The reflective mirrors handle wavelength-independent focusing while the beam combiner manages wavelength-specific beam routing, combining the advantages of reflective optics (no chromatic aberration) with beam splitting capabilities in a single integrated design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves precise aiming and alignment of light beams under various conditions, reducing the potential for air breakdown and maintaining alignment, even with different wavelengths, resulting in a more compact and efficient optical system.
Implementation Method 1
A beam splitter intersects the beam path so that the beam path is incident upon the beam splitter
Implementation Method 2
A diverger corrects at least one of the input light beam and the output light beam
Implementation Method 3
a reflective telescope including at least two mirrors
Data Source
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AI summary
A common-aperture optical system (20) includes a reflective telescope (22) having a common boresight (24), an entrance pupil (26), an exit pupil (28), and a beam path (30) extending from the entrance pupil (26) to and beyond the exit pupil (28). A beam splitter (32) intersects the beam path (30) so that the beam path (30) is incident upon the beam splitter (32). A light sensor (34) is positioned to receive an input light beam (36) traveling along the beam path (30) after the beam path (30) intersects the beam splitter (32) and passes the exit pupil (28) of the reflective telescope (22). A light source (38) produces an output light beam (40) incident upon the beam splitter (32) and positioned to inject the output light beam (40) into an inverse of the beam path (30) and toward the entrance pupil (26) of the reflective telescope (22). A diverger (42) corrects at least one of the input light beam (36) and the output light beam (40).