Mainz 2017 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 56: Optomechanics II
Q 56.1: Talk
Friday, March 10, 2017, 14:30–14:45, P 4
Stable Zerodur optical benches for space applications — •Ioannis Drougkakis1,2, Konstantinos Mavrakis1,2, Konstantinos Poulios1, Dimitris G Papazoglou1,2, and Wolf von Klitzing1 — 1Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, P.O. Box 1527, 71110, Heraklion, Greece — 2Department of Material Science and Technology, University of Crete, P.O. Box 2208, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
A large number of optical systems used in space applications, require stable optical benches that are extremely robust, reliable and efficient. A major challenge in these applications is coupling light into single mode optical fibers after having traversed a number of active and passive optical elements. This leads to high level of complexity for the benches and for the subcomponents used. As a consequence of trade-offs between robustness, complexity, reliability and constrains in manufacturing, coupling efficiencies lie typically from 50% to 80% at the cost of an increased complexity of their sub-components and procedures. Here we report a novel scheme, which allows precise beam-steering for fiber-free space-fiber systems on a Zerodur breadboard using optical wedges and flats. Our approach greatly reduces the precision required for the sub-components as well as the complexity of the fiber couplers used. We present an in-depth theoretical treatment of the optical scheme, using both analytical and numerical simulations. We corroborate the results of the simulations with preliminary tests performed.