A well-known fabrication problem with aspheric optical surfaces lies in high-frequency surface irregularities inherent in the figuring process. Optical grinding and polishing tools can smooth these ripples, yet retain the flexibility required to fit the aspheric surface. An f/0.52, paraboloidal, 17-in. convex surface is produced with conventional rigid tools. A transmission ronchigram is obtained showing highspatial-frequency errors of large magnitude. After four hours of grinding with a semi-flexible multiple-segment ring tool, almost all high-frequency error is removed. This shows good potential for smoothing finished aspheric optics. Flexible tools can also be involved in the figuring process itself.
New and improved technology for manufacture of GMT primary mirror segments ", Proc. SPIE 9912, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation II, 99120P
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.