Laps and Metrology for large fast aspheric convex mirrors

Abstract

At the University of Arizona, Steward Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML), we have developed a method to make the convex aspheric surfaces for secondary mirrors. These mirrors are large, up to 1.7 meter in diameter, and depart from the best fit sphere by as much as 300 microns. The techniques proven on these large mirrors can be used with equal effectiveness on convex optics that are much smaller.