US 12,292,562 B2
Process for manufacturing an athermal low cost telescope based on high precision replication technology, and such telescope
Robert David Banham, Suffolk (GB); Giuseppe Valsecchi, Oggiono (IT); and Fabio Marioni, Saronno (IT)
Assigned to MEDIA LARIO S.R.L., Bosisio Parini (IT)
Appl. No. 17/433,936
Filed by MEDIA LARIO S.R.L., Bosisio Parini (IT)
PCT Filed Feb. 17, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/054000
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 25, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/173728, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19159817 (EP), filed on Feb. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0146809 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 23/10 (2006.01); G02B 5/08 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 23/10 (2013.01) [G02B 5/0808 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing a telescope, the method comprising:
a) making optical mirrors including a primary mirror and a secondary mirror by immersing a master, that is an optical component with a curvature opposite to the mirror required, but with the same required optical quality, into an electrolytic bath where the applied current transfers metal ions and deposit them on the master, that includes the cathode, and which is made of a material including glass, ceramic, plastic, and/or metal, so a layer of a material with different coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than a mechanical reinforcing structure is deposited on the cathode by using an adhesive to absorb differences in expansion between the mechanical reinforcing structure and the layer, whereby a thickness of the layer forms the optical surface of the mirror,
b) bonding the layer by an attachment process to a mechanical reinforcing structure which is made of material including Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP), Silicon-Carbide (SiC) or Carbon-fiber reinforced silicon carbide, or a combination thereof
c) after the hardening of the bond or glue, releasing the layer from the master while maintaining the optical quality of the master.