SPECTRUM SCIENTIFIC INCORPORATED — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: S2

Description

The combination of multiple surface functionality into a single optical surface has been used for years as a method of improving system performance while reducing component count and system integration complexity. Further developments of this technology via combination of a diffraction grating and a freeform surface are explored. Multiple methods of combination are investigated. These include holographically recording a diffraction grating on a freeform substrate and by recording both the diffraction grating and freeform surface as holograms on a single substrate.Tighter packshy;aging constraints and performance requirements on exploratory missions such as LUVOIR are driving the need for more efficient and compact designs. Applying aberration corrected holographic gratings to a freeform surface has paradigm-shifting potential for these instruments with the potential for higher performance and throughput using fewer components.Both efficiency and stray light are critical issues for upcoming missions. SSI proposes the use of a low scatter optical blazing technique in combination with a freeform optical surface as a means of supporting demanding spectral sensing requirements.These innovations will significantly improve performance of next generation spectral sensing technologies by reducing system size and weight while improving imaging performance, signal-to-noise, energy collection, stray light and field of view.