Picometer-stable scan mechanism

Detection and observation of gravitational waves requires extremely accurate displacement measurement in the frequency range of 0.03 mHz to 1 Hz. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission will attain this by creating a giant interferometer in space, based on free-floating proof masses in three spacecrafts. Due to orbit evolution and time delay in the interferometer arms, the direction of transmitted light changes. To solve this problem, a picometer-stable Point-Ahead Angle Mechanism (PAAM) was designed, realized and successfully tested.

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References

A flexible way to reflect…

The W.M. Keck Observatory telescopes on Hawaii are receiving upgrades that include an Adaptive Secondary Mirror (ASM) and the Keck Wide Field Imager (KWFI).

AI-driven visual inspection of photonic…

In the rapidly evolving field of photonics, the integrity of photonic wafers is paramount to the performance and reliability of optical devices.

Designing better with additive manufacturing

In the area of precision engineering – where tolerances are measured in microns or even nanometers – additive manufacturing (AM) offers a new level of possibility.