| Title: |
Upgrade to the Shack Cube Interferometer |
| Category: |
Industry |
| Intellectual Property: |
Student team assigns intellectual property control to company |
| Year: |
2009 |
| Semester: |
Fall |
| Sponsor Name: |
Ruda-Cardinal Inc. |
| Sponsoring advisors: |
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| Sponsor URL: |
http://www.ruda-cardinal.com |
| Sponsor Information: |
Ruda-Cardinal Inc. provides prototyping and production services of commercial, consumer, industrial, medical and military optical products. In addition, Ruda-Cardinal is an Optical Engineering Consulting firm specializing in the design and development of precision optical products, while providing support for companies that require optical systems or optical subassemblies as part of their own products. Ruda-Cardinal is an ISO AS9100 approved company |
| ITAR Restriction: |
No |
| Scope of work: |
The Shack cube Interferometer is an extremely useful alignment tool. There are several reasons for this. First and most important is the fact that the point light source emanating from the spatial filter can be accurately aligned (<5 µrads) with the axis of the cube. Since the curved surface provides a reference reflection as viewed on the rear of the cube, the return image from the optical system can be aligned within this accuracy. The reference and return can be viewed under any desirable magnification, allowing the required alignment accuracy. The return image can be observed for position, thus determining boresight error. Also, the quality of the return image can also be studied. The Shack cube has the ability to quantitatively monitor the dynamic boresight stability of the optical system. The reference reflection will interfere with the return wavefront from the optical system, producing the interference fringes which can be directly observed with an eyepiece.
The students will be implementing a zoom system with the intent of replacing the eyepiece. This zoom system will allow for the interferometric image to be relayed onto a CCD chip. The students will need to determine a sufficient method for the mounting of the optics, mechanical design for the barrel equipped with the ability to perform a continuous zoom over the 3X range. The Students will be required to create the proper assembly procedures and documentation required by ISO quality control. Other modifications will be studied for a better access to the pupil and integration of alternative light sources. The upgrade to The Shack cube will provide a method for analysis and storage of the interferometric data through a computer program. The zoom system will provide the opportunity to analyze optical elements that range in diameter. The zoom system will also provide an output that will keep the number of pixels constant irrelevant to the size of the optic.
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| Project summary: |
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| Disciplines: |
Engineering Management (1)
Mechanical Engineering (1)
Optical Sciences and Engineering (3) |
| Skills: |
CAD
ZEMAX
Optical Alignment
Optical Assembly
Interferometry
ISO AS9100 |
| Additional resources: |
Access to Zemax, Solidworks, and the use of a lab for testing |
| Key Contact Name: |
Geoff Wruck |
| Key Contact Email: |
glwruck@earthlink.net |
| Key Contact Phone: |
520-546-1495 ext. 20 |
| Project URL: |
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| Mentor Name: |
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| Mentor Email: |
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| Mentor Phone: |
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