Lightweight, Flexible Lens Could be the Future of Space Telescopes – Universe Today
[ad_1]
Holograms are useful for more than interesting-looking baubles in gift shops. Materials scientists have used them for applications from stress/strain gauges to data storage systems. It turns out they would also be useful in making extraordinarily lightweight, flexible mirrors for space telescopes. A new study led by researchers at the Rensselear Polytechnic Institue shows how that might happen.
The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, details a technique to create a rollable lens using a holographic coating. Rollable lenses on telescopes have long been sought after, as they allow a much larger lens, potentially many meters across, to fit into a fairing that could traditionally house a much smaller, inflexible, solid glass mirror.
Credit – IEEE Spectrum YouTube Channel
Rollable material has been around for a long time, so having a substrate that can roll up to fit in a fairing is not a new idea. Solar panels have been designed to unfurl for decades, though sometimes even that doesn’t work. However, solar panels don’t have to be as efficient at focusing starlight as a telescope mirror would be. That’s where the holograms come in.
Researchers at RPI developed a holographic coating that can be placed on a flexible substrate that can either “separate light with super sensitivity or focus light with high resolution,” according to author Mei-Li Hsieh. Those two features would make it particularly useful as a key instrument on a telescope.
Credit – St. Augustine Lighthouse YouTube Channel
Together, the coating and substrate create a system similar to a Fresnel lens. These long-standing workhorses of the optics industry have a large aperture while having a short focal length but are significantly less bulky than standard lenses with the same specifications. Figuring out how to lay out a coating that would effectively create such a lens took a lot of mathematical work, but Dr. Hsieh and her team seems to have solved it. Once the mathematics were worked out, the group moved on to building a system.
Using two very close light sources, the team created light beams that imprinted the holographic film covering the substrate. Overlaying convergence and interference patterns over top of one another can create a film that has either high resolution or is broken into its constituent spectra.
Credit – Hsieh et al.
So far, the team has only tested this lens creation technique as an experiment – it still has a long way to go before it is ready to launch on a satellite and start collecting starlight. However, with some more development work, this type of rollable, lightweight lens could prove a breakthrough technology for large-scale space telescopes in the future.
Learn More:
RPI – Need for Larger Space Telescope Inspires Lightweight Flexible Holographic Lens
Nature Scientific Reports – Experimental realization of a Fresnel hologram as a super spectral resolution optical element
Photonics.com – Holographic Space Telescope Takes Aim at the Next ‘Planet Earth’
AZO Optics – New Method Produces Lens for Focused Image or Spectrum
Lead Image:
Holographic lens showcasing a full light spectra
Credit – RPI
[ad_2]
Original Post
At this time I am ready to do my breakfast, afterward having my breakfast coming over again to read more news.
Hello my loved one! I want to say that this article is amazing, great written and include approximately all important infos. I’d like to peer more posts like this.
Do you have a spam issue on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was wondering your situation; we have created some nice procedures and we are looking to exchange methods with other folks, why not shoot me an e-mail if interested.
Magnificent beat ! I wish to apprentice whilst you amend your site, how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I have been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright transparent concept
Great write-up, I¦m regular visitor of one¦s web site, maintain up the nice operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a long time.
Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I am very glad to see such fantastic info being shared freely out there.
Hey! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the excellent work!
I really enjoy examining on this website, it contains good content. “And all the winds go sighing, For sweet things dying.” by Christina Georgina Rossetti.
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Maravilha poder usufruir deste conteúdo neste site. Também temos conteúdos relacionados com este em nosso site. Basta acesssar nosso link!
Hi there, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam responses? If so how do you reduce it, any plugin or anything you can recommend? I get so much lately it’s driving me crazy so any assistance is very much appreciated.
This web site is really a walk-through for all of the info you wanted about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you’ll definitely discover it.
The crux of your writing whilst sounding agreeable originally, did not work very well with me after some time. Someplace within the paragraphs you actually were able to make me a believer but only for a while. I however have got a problem with your leaps in assumptions and one might do nicely to fill in those breaks. When you actually can accomplish that, I could certainly end up being fascinated.
I like this post, enjoyed this one thank you for putting up. “The universe is not hostile, nor yet is it unfriendly. It is simply indifferent.” by John Andrew Holmes.
Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! “Any man would be forsworn to gain a kingdom.” by Roger Zelazny.
Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The text in your content seem to be running off the screen in Firefox. I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to let you know. The design look great though! Hope you get the problem fixed soon. Many thanks
Good V I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task..
Hi, just required you to know I he added your site to my Google bookmarks due to your layout. But seriously, I believe your internet site has 1 in the freshest theme I??ve came across. It extremely helps make reading your blog significantly easier.
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and internet and this is really frustrating. A good website with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
After I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now every time a remark is added I get 4 emails with the identical comment. Is there any method you’ll be able to take away me from that service? Thanks!
I’ll right away grab your rss as I can not find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
Hello. fantastic job. I did not imagine this. This is a fantastic story. Thanks!
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
Some truly wonderful blog posts on this web site, regards for contribution.
Wonderful web site. Lots of useful information here. I am sending it to some pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And of course, thanks to your sweat!
I haven’t checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
Wonderful goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just too excellent. I really like what you have acquired here, really like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it wise. I can not wait to read much more from you. This is actually a tremendous site.
I have read some good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how a lot attempt you set to make any such excellent informative web site.
Some genuinely interesting details you have written.Helped me a lot, just what I was searching for : D.
What Is Sugar Defender? Sugar Defender Drops is a powerful friend for people who want to control their blood sugar levels
Heya i’m for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and help others like you aided me.
I am really enjoying the theme/design of your blog. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility problems? A handful of my blog visitors have complained about my site not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera. Do you have any ideas to help fix this problem?
Very interesting points you have remarked, appreciate it for posting.
It is the best time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest you few interesting things or advice. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read even more things about it!
magnificent submit, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector do not understand this. You must continue your writing. I’m sure, you have a great readers’ base already!
I’ve read a few good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how much effort you put to create such a great informative website.
My spouse and i were so satisfied when Peter managed to complete his investigation because of the ideas he discovered when using the blog. It is now and again perplexing to just find yourself handing out tips that some people might have been trying to sell. We really do understand we’ve got you to thank for this. The entire explanations you’ve made, the straightforward web site menu, the relationships you will help to instill – it’s got most sensational, and it’s really helping our son and the family consider that this matter is enjoyable, and that’s wonderfully mandatory. Many thanks for the whole thing!