Mechanical based alignment of large optical instruments: ESPRESSO as an example

Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
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Santana Tschudi, S.
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Mégevand, D.
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Pepe, F.
DOI
Abstract
When long term instrument stability is required, traditional alignment techniques based on bulky and/or flexible mountings can not be used due to their reduced stiffness. Mechanical alignment of optical systems is nowadays possible thanks to different 3D Coordinate Measuring Machines, as the Laser Tracker, the Articulated and Cartesian Arms. In this paper we describe the methods we considered for the integration and alignment of ESPRESSO, the very high resolution visible spectrograph for the ESO VLT, now under commissioning phase at Paranal Observatory. Different examples of the Front End (FE), the Anamorphic Pupil Slicer Unit (APSU), and the spectrograph itself will be provided, to demonstrate that it is possible to align an optical system with mechanical methods with minimal optical feedbacks, reaching in an almost `blind' way the best optical performances.
Coverage
Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation III
All editors
Navarro, Ramón ; Geyl, Roland
Series
Volume
10706
Start page
107064H-1
Conferenece
Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation III
Conferenece place
Austin, Texas, United States
Conferenece date
10-15 June, 2018
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0277-786X
Ads BibCode
2018SPIE10706E..4HP
Rights
open.access
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