激光本振红外光谱干涉成像及其艇载天文应用展望(特邀)

本文分析了红外干涉成像现状和难点,介绍了激光本振红外相干探测的原理,阐述了基于电子学的红外光谱细分和干涉成像原理,讨论了激光本振红外阵列探测器形式.激光本振和相干探测器的设置,可保证两个望远镜的红外信号相位的正确传递,在电子学实施窄带滤波形成的窄带红外信号有利于实现长基线干涉成像.在此基础上,类似微波综合孔径射电望远镜...     

The Application of Superconducting Tunnel Junction Detectors to Astronomy

Detectors based on the superconducting-insulating-superconducting (SIS) junction long ago surpassed Schottky-diode semiconductor detectors as the most sensitive heterodyne mixers in the millimeter and submillimeter (far-infrared) wavelength range. Other novel superconducting device configurations have been applied as direct detectors. Though still in the early stages of development, and yet to find widespread application, they have demonstrated advantages over traditional semiconductor detectors in specialized situations. Exciting progress has been made in recent years in developing the superconducting tunnel junctions (STJ) as a photon detector for optical and near-optical wavelengths, where silicon CCD's are currently dominant. I examine some of the areas in which the properties of STJ detectors may best match the instrument capabilities that astronomical observations require, and discuss the implications of the intrinsic spectral resolution of the STJ. This capability will enable a significant increase in observing efficiency, once the technology matures, that should justify increased complexity of cryogenic systems, particularly for instruments to be used on the next generation of large ground-based telescopes.     

空间光学的发展与波前传感技术

摘要：进入21世纪，国际上一些发达国家和有关部门都已制定了空间发展战略规划，如美国航空航天局（NASA）、欧洲空间局（ESA）和俄罗斯政府相关部门等都提出空间发展战略规划，这些规划提出了今后一段时间内空间科学要解决的问题和发展的方向，而解决这些问题并推进空间技术的发展很大程度上依赖于先进的光学和无线电望远镜及仪器设备。因此，本文介绍本世纪初国际上空间科学应用的大型天文望远镜的发展情况，重点描述了大口径光学望远镜的光学系统以及实现这类天文望远镜的关键技术之一一波前传感技术。     

The quantum stellar interferometer

In this paper we propose a new interferometric scheme using photon entanglement. The two main limitations of stellar interferometry are (a) the small sensitivity and (b) the need for long delay-lines to compensate the path difference between the telescopes during observing runs. Entangled-photon pairs, generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion, open the way to measuring quantum states correlation in the near infrared between two spatially separated telescopes and at very high sensitivities (down to a few stellar photons), thanks to a new interferometric layout which does not make use of complex long delay-lines. A femtosecond laser coupled to a nonlinear crystal is used as a local oscillator to perform the double homodyne measurements. This new quantum interferometer allows to measure astronomical objet sizes with very high angular resolution down to μas level.     

Tapered hollow waveguide for focusing infrared laser beams

A tapered hollow waveguide that can focus a laser beam into a small beam spot is proposed for medical and dental applications. We fabricated hollow tapered optics by using a traveling torch, and the shape was formed as a precise linear taper. For a hollow taper tip with input and output diameters of 700 and 200 microm, respectively, the insertion loss is as small as 0.7 dB in a 10 mm long taper. The hollow taper optic producing a 200 microm spot withstands input energy of 100 mJ. Because a focusing lens is unnecessary at the output end, the laser beam can be introduced into a deep and narrow spot with these tapered optics.     

Optimum coupling of a Gaussian beam to a corner reflector with a four-wavelength antenna

The coupling of a Gaussian radiation beam to a corner reflector with a four-wavelength long wire antenna was studied theoretically and experimentally. The antenna configuration in conjunction with a Schottky barrier diode is recently used widely as a fast submillimeter wave detector. The optimum angle focusing the radiation to the antenna has been obtained and is 11° (half-width at the 8.7dB points).     

Experimental and theoretical study of turning mirrors and beam splitters with optimized waveguide structures

Integrated waveguide turning mirrors (IWTM) based on total internal reflection are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The effects of the mirror surface displacement, the rotation, and the roughness are studied. The loss due to the various spectral components of the roughness is comprehensively analysed. A wide waveguide turning mirror is more influenced by the low-frequency component, which is the major component of the actually fabricated mirror surface, resulting in high radiation loss of an IWTM with long taper, contrary to expectation. The excess radiation loss is about 0.8 dB/mirror and 1.0 dB/mirror for quasi-TE and quasi-TM modes, respectively, in the optimum design, which could be reduced by further minimizing the displacement error of the mirror position. We also designed and fabricated a low-loss beam splitter with modal interference region, the measured excess losses being about 1.2 dB and 1.8 dB for quasi-TE and quasi-TM modes, respectively, which are believed to be the lowest in this kind of beam splitter.     

The UCB/MPE cassegrain submillimeter heterodyne spectrometer

The UCB/MPE Submillimeter Heterodyne Spectrometer is a system for ascronomical spectroscopy in the high-frequency atmospheric windows from 500 to 1000 GHz. It contains a molecular laser local oscillator, a cooled Schottky open structure mixer, a quasi-optical coupling system, and an acousto-optical spectrometer. The compact receiver mounts at the Cassegrain focus of large infrared astronomical telescopes. The receiver noise temperature on the telescope is approximately 3500 K (DSB) during observations of the CO J=76 line at 806.652 GHz. The spectrometer's frequency resolution and instantaneous bandwidth (<2 MHz resolution across 1.1 GHz) are well suited for observations of molecular emission lines from a variety of astronomical sources.     

Surface Adjustment of the SRAO 6-M Antenna Based on Near-Field Radio Holography at 86 GHz

In an attempt to measure and correct the surface profile of the SRAO 6- antenna, we carried out a with-phase holographic experiment at 86 GHz with a transmitter in the near field. Unlike other previous experiments, for cost-effectiveness, we utilized harmonic mixers for frequency conversion together with a microwave synthesizer for local oscillators, while still maintaining the S/N ratio above the required value of 30 dB. We measured the complex beam patterns over ±30 _FWHM both in azimuth and elevation and Fourier-transformed them to obtain the surface profile at 10-cm spatial resolution. It is found that the surface accuracy of the antenna is improved from 100 m to better than 30 m. The edge taper is also estimated to be 11.2 dB in good agreement with the design value, 12 dB. To verify the improvement, we observed the Venus and found that the aperture and beam efficiencies are 72% and 76%, respectively, and are roughly independent of frequency over the whole 3-mm band.     

TE/TM-mode pass polarizers and splitter based on an asymmetric twin waveguide and resonant coupling

A new passive TE/TM-mode polarization filter for an InP system based on an asymmetric twin waveguide and resonant coupling is investigated. Linear taper sections with different taper angles are introduced to couple between the two vertically separated waveguides. The underlying waveguide is designed to enable direct edge coupling from an optical fiber. At a wavelength of 1.55?μm power extinction ratios of 20 dB for the TE- and more than 10 dB for the TM-polarization are reported for devices shorter than 400?μm. An increased extinction ratio can be obtained by concatenating structures. Furthermore, we show this concept can be expanded to a polarization splitter.     

Flattop beam illumination for 3D imaging ladar with simple optical devices in the wide distance range

We have developed an illumination optical system for 3D imaging ladar (laser detection and ranging) which forms flattop beam shape by transformation of the Gaussian beam in the wide distance range. The illumination is achieved by beam division and recombination using a prism and a negative powered lens. The optimum condition of the transformation by the optical system is derived. It is confirmed that the flattop distribution can be formed in the wide range of the propagation distance from 1 to 1000 m. The experimental result with the prototype is in good agreement with the calculation result.     

大型光学天文望远镜风载作用分析

风载对光学天文望远镜结构和镜面的作用将直接影响望远镜的面形精度和跟踪指向控制,从而降低望远镜的像质。特别是未来大型望远镜越来越多地采用主动光学技术,风载的作用将是影响主动光学子镜的主动控制及望远镜整体性能的重要因素。回顾了大型望远镜风载作用的分析方法和随机风载的性质,详细介绍了采用风速功率谱密度方法进行随机风载分析的过程和采用有限元方法分析建模的方法;建立了一个拼接镜面主动光学望远镜的完整计算模型,研究了子镜及望远镜整体在风载作用下的静态和动态响应,并分析了风载对镜面面形和望远镜的跟踪指向精度的影响。     

Development of SRAO 3MM SIS Receiver

We have developed a 3 mm band receiver for SRAO. The receiver employs an Nb-based SIS junction in the mixer and operates at 85–115 GHz with single polarization. The receiver noise temperature is 40–50 K in DSB. It is equipped with an MPI-type filter for single-side band observations. We present the design, construction, and test results for individual components of the receiver optics, heterodyne system, and cryogenics. The receiver has been installed on the 6 m SRAO telescope and tested toward astronomical sources. The beam-measurement experiment suggests that the edge taper is smaller than the designed 12 dB.     

高分辨率光谱仪与极大望远镜耦合问题分析

介绍国际上地面极大光学/红外望远镜的研制概况,分析高分辨率光谱仪与极大口径望远镜耦合中的难题,结果表明极大口径望远镜需要超大面积阶梯光栅和超快焦比相机。根据光谱仪与望远镜的匹配关系,30 m级极大口径望远镜的高分辨率光谱仪的准直光束将大于70 cm,主色散阶梯光栅的面积大于2 m2,照相机的焦比F/0.5,按照目前的制造技术无法提供上述光栅和相机,因此,提出高分辨率光谱仪与极大望远镜进行耦合的技术。针对耦合问题给出了相应解决方案,即采用像切分器、拼接光栅以及白瞳设计等技术将是极大口径望远镜与高分辨率光谱仪耦合的主要解决方案。     

基于微机电系统红外光源的长光程气体检测

针对红外气体传感器对光源的要求,选用了一种宽波长、高调制频率、低功耗的小体积微机电系统(micro-electro-mechanic system, MEMS)红外光源作为辐射源,其各项性能均能很好的满足红外传感系统对于光源的要求。由于其面光源的朗伯辐射特性,整形之后的红外光数值孔径仍然很大,采用传统的长光程气室结构很难实现长光程从而提高系统的检测灵敏度。本文结合双波长单光路的差分检测方法,设计了一种基于积分球特性的吸收气室,有效地解决了MEMS红外光源在高灵敏度气体检测应用中难于实现长光程的问题;并运用光在传输过程中光通量守恒的原理,推导了此积分球吸收气室的等效光程,解决了积分球气室等效光程计算的难题;同时采用FPGA主控芯片对MEMS红外光源进行高频调制并处理探测器的输出信号,使得外围电路的设计更加简单、灵活。设计中,使用直径为5 cm的积分球吸收气室便可实现166.7 cm的等效光程,研究结果显示系统可测得的最小甲烷浓度达0.001×10-6,极大地提高了红外检测系统的灵敏度。     

基于高损耗信道的纠缠分发实验模拟

实验模拟了总信道损耗70 dB的纠缠分发和Bell不等式的破坏,相当于纠缠光子对从轨道高度350 km的卫星上发射(口径13.5 cm),到仰角大于10°的地面站被接收(口径100 cm)的信道损耗^[11],模拟纠缠分发距离超过千公里;并且通过理论和实验研究,明确了高信道衰减下量子纠缠分发的关键技术突破点,首先必须降低系统暗计数和提高系统时间分辨,在此基础上提高纠缠源的亮度,系统将能容忍更高的信道衰减,实现更远的通信距离. 关键词： 纠缠分发 信道损耗 时间分辨 Bell不等式     

内窥镜的红外激光传输用柔性空芯光纤的研制

通过理论计算确立了多功能介质-金属结构空芯光纤的结构参量,优化了液相镀膜法的有关条件,明确了具体制作参量。制作了以聚碳酸酯毛细管为基管的,高柔韧性的,可同时低损耗传输红外目标波长激光和可见导航光红外的空芯光纤。对光纤传输性能进行了测试。在2.94μm波长的Er∶YAG和0.63μm波长的红色半导体激光器的直线损耗分别为0.4 dB/m和3 dB/m。组装在医疗内窥镜中的柔性空芯光纤,在先端以0.9 cm半径135°角弯曲时,对Er∶YAG激光仍有近70%的传输效率;绿色导航光在内窥镜中的的损耗值为11 dB,绿色指示点在内窥镜的视窗中清晰可见。结果表明此种光纤在内窥镜的激光传输方面有重要的应用价值。     

Visible interferometric coupling of two telescopes through single mode optical fibers

The diameter of large conventional astronomical telescopes is currently restricted to the range of eight to ten meters. With this limitation in mind, there is an emerging interest in various applications of optical interferometry which would allow the synthesis of apertures larger than can be realized using current mirror fabrication technologies. Interferometry allows the substitution of the separation between telescopes to determine the limiting resolution rather than the diffraction limited resolving power of the individual telescope aperture(s). The implementation of this process, however, requires solutions to a number of difficult problems in the transport and recombination of optical wavefronts. The use of single mode (SM) optical fibers to transport and recombine optical wavefronts in interferometers offers a number of advantages as compared to other, more established techniques, yet suffers from an inefficient coupling of the wavefront energy into the very narrow fiber cores. We present preliminary results of an experiment in which interferometric recombination of wavefronts from two telescopes using SM fibers was used to obtain white light fringes on the bright star Arcturus ( Bootis). Our experience leads us to believe that for many imaging applications the continued development of fiber based interferometry will yield significant resolution gains over the diffraction limited performance associated with conventional monolithic aperture systems.     

大容差光纤耦合技术研究

设计了一种新型的耦合系统,该耦合系统由大口径聚焦透镜、1/4节距自聚焦透镜、锥形光纤和球端光纤四部分组成.分析了自聚焦透镜压缩发散角和球端光纤增大数值孔径的机理,给出了计算锥形光纤参量的详细流程.采用大口径透镜和1/4节距自聚焦透镜有效增大径向位置容差和角度容差,然后通过锥形光纤压缩光束半径将激光耦合进球端光纤.仿真实验结果表明,该系统耦合在r<3 mm,－1<θ<1.5范围内的耦合效率稳定保持在50%以上.     

天文光学望远镜的调校与检测

本文扼要叙述了天文光学望远镜的通用调校步骤与方法，适用于诸如卡氏（Ｃａｓｓｅｇｒａｉｎ）、葛氏（Ｇｒｅｇｏｒｙ）、奈氏（Ｎａｓｍｙｔｈ）、折轴（Ｃｏｕｄé）、施密特（Ｓｃｈｍｉｄｔ）、牛顿（Ｎｅｗｔｏｎ）望远镜、…等的光学元件及系统的调校。对极轴的高度与方位的调整，也给以简要介绍。本文还概述了对成像质量的检测。文中以通光口径２．１６ｍ天文望远镜为例，给出了光路调整图。