Hot slumping glass technology and integration process to manufacture a grazing incidence scaled prototype for the IXO telescope modules

Details Hot slumping glass technology and integration process to manufacture a grazing incidence scaled prototype for the IXO telescope modules Hot slumping glass technology and integration process to manufacture a grazing incidence scaled prototype for the IXO telescope modules

Aug 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009spie.7437e..22g&link_type=abstract

Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy IV. Edited by Ghigo, M.; Basso, S.; Canestrari, R.; Conconi, P.; Citterio, O.; Ci

Physics

Optics

Scientific paper

As for all space missions, the limit imposed on the payload mass budget by the launcher is the main driver that forces the use of very lightweight optics. Considering the International X-ray Observatory (IXO) mission the present configuration has a mirror collecting area in the order of 3 m2 at 1.25 keV, 0.65 m2 at 6 keV, and 150 cm2 at 30 keV. These large collecting areas could be obtained with a mirror assembly composed of a large number of high quality glass segments each being able to deliver the required angular resolution better or equal to 5 arcsec. These segments will form a X-Ray Optical Unit (XOU), an optical subunit of the telescope, and the XOUs will be assembled to form the whole mirror system. Based on the INAF-OAB experience in the thermal slumping of thin glass optics, a possible approach for the realization of large size and lightweight X-ray mirrors is described in this paper. Moulds made in a suitable material (as for example Silicon Carbide or Fused Silica) and having the suitable (parabolic and hyperbolic) profile are used for the realization of thin glass Mirror Plates (MP), with dimensions in the range of 200- 400 mm. After a thermal cycle the slumped MPs are characterized for acceptation and handled by means of an active support using vacuum suction for the integration phase. In this phase an active optical feedback is used to ensure the correct alignment of the MPs within the XOU. The MPs are then glued in its proper position in the XOU using also suitable glass ribs for the stiffening of the whole module. An investigation in the problems and possible solutions to the slumping, measurement, integration and testing of the glass MPs into the XOU will be given, particularly with respect to a XOU scaled prototype that will be manufactured and used to assess the technology.

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