The optical design of the six-meter CCAT-prime and Simons Observatory telescopes

Stephen C. Parshley, Michael Niemack, Richard Hills, Simon R. Dicker, Rolando Dünner, Jens Erler, Patricio A. Gallardo, Jon E. Gudmundsson, Terry Herter, Brian J. Koopman, Michele Limon, Frederick T. Matsuda, Philip Mauskopf, Dominik A. Riechers, Gordon J. Stacey, Eve M. Vavagiakis

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

A common optical design for a coma-corrected, 6-meter aperture, crossed-Dragone telescope has been adopted for the CCAT-prime telescope of CCAT Observatory, Inc., and for the Large Aperture Telescope of the Simons Observatory. Both are to be built in the high altitude Atacama Desert in Chile for submillimeter and millimeter wavelength observations, respectively. The design delivers a high throughput, relatively flat focal plane, with a field of view 7.8 degrees in diameter for 3 mm wavelengths, and the ability to illuminate >100k diffraction-limited beams for < 1 mm wavelengths. The optics consist of offset reflecting primary and secondary surfaces arranged in such a way as to satisfy the Mizuguchi-Dragone criterion, suppressing first-order astigmatism and maintaining high polarization purity. The surface shapes are perturbed from their standard conic forms in order to correct coma aberrations. We discuss the optical design, performance, and tolerancing sensitivity. More information about CCAT-prime can be found at ccatobservatory.org and about Simons Observatory at simonsobservatory.org.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationGround-Based and Airborne Telescopes VII
EditorsHeather K. Marshall, Jason Spyromilio
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510619531
DOIs
StatePublished - 2018
EventGround-Based and Airborne Telescopes VII 2018 - Austin, United States
Duration: Jun 10 2018Jun 15 2018

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume10700
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Other

OtherGround-Based and Airborne Telescopes VII 2018
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAustin
Period6/10/186/15/18

Keywords

  • coma correction
  • cross-Dragone
  • optical design
  • submillimeter
  • telescope optics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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