Dual imaging concentric optics

Claim 2

An all mirror high resolution wide field of view optical system comprising a plurality of mirrors positioned in coacting optical image forming relationship along an optical axis, said system comprising: a. means forming a symmetrical aperture stop lying in a plane perpendicular to said optical axis, said stop being centered on said optical axis and the intersection of said optical axis and the center of said aperture stop defining a first center of curvature point; b. at least one planar folding mirror positioned to fold said optical axis and producing at least one image of said aperture stop and said first center of curvature point on said optical axis, said first point and said image thereof comprising a plurality of center of curvature points; c. a plurality of spherical mirrors, each of said mirrors being centered on one of said plurality of center of curvature points, d. an aspheric mirrors centered on the optical Axis and positioned substantially in the plane of said image of said aperture stop to correct the system for spherical aberration, and e. said system having all of said mirrors aligned on said optical axis to successively reflect radiant energy incident through said aperture stop from object space to a focal surface to form an image thereon.

Claim 3

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which a first of said plurality of spherical mirrors is centered about a point defined at the center of said aperture stop and second and third of said spherical mirrors are centered about a first image of said point.

Claim 4

a first substantially planar folding mirror, positioned between said aperture stop and said spherical mirror to receive radiation from said spherical mirror, and to direct said radiation through said central aperture;

Claim 5

a first substantially planar folding mirror, positioned between said aperture stop and said spherical mirror to receive radiation from said spherical mirror, and to direct said radiation through said central aperture;

Claim 6

a second substantially planar folding mirror positioned to receive radiation from said first folding mirror;

Claim 7

a second substantially planar folding mirror positioned to receive radiation from said first folding mirror;

Claim 8

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein: said first and second spherical mirrors are concave and said third spherical mirror is obtuse, and radiation incoming through said aperture stop intercepts said first spherical mirror surface and is reflected onto a first of said folding mirror surfaces; said radiation reflected from said first folding mirror surface is reflected onto a second of said substantially planar folding mirror surface, thence is reflected to a third of said substantially planar folding mirror surface and thence is reflected onto said second spherical mirror surface; and radiation reflected from said second spherical mirror surface is incident upon and reflected from said third spherical mirror surface.

Claim 9

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical system includes: a first concave spherical mirror positioned to intercept radiation passing through and perpendicular to the plane of said aperture stop, the center of said stop defining the center of curvature of said mirror and defining an optical axis perpendicular to said plane, said mirror having a central aperture therein adjacent said optical axis for transmitting radiation therethrough; a first substantially planar folding mirror, positioned between said aperture stop and said spherical mirror, to receive radiation from said spherical mirror and to focus said radiation on a focal surface substantially at the surface of said spherical mirror; a second substantially planar folding mirror positioned to receive radiation from said focal point through said central aperture from said first folding mirror; a third substantially planar folding mirror positioned substantially in the plane of the image of said aperture stop to receive radiation from said second folding mirror; a second concave spherical mirror positioned to receive radiation from said third substantially planar folding mirror; and an obtuse spherical mirror intercepting radiation from said second concave spherical mirror and focusing said radiation on a focal surface substantially on said optical axis and the surface of said obtuse spherical mirror, the center of curvature of said second concave and said obtuse mirrors being at the center of the image of said aperture stop.

Claim 10

a second concave spherical mirror, positioned to receive radiation from said second folding mirror and to focus such radiation onto said focal surface, the center of curvature of said second spherical mirror being at the imaged center of curvature of said first spherical mirror.

Claim 11

a second concave spherical mirror, positioned to receive radiation from said second folding mirror and to focus such radiation onto said focal surface, the center of curvature of said second spherical mirror being at the imaged center of curvature of said first spherical mirror.

Claim 12

Apparatus as recited in claim 4 and further comprising a radiation detector situated substantially at the focal surface of radiation reflected from said obtuse mirror.

Claim 13

Apparatus as recited in claim 4 in which said third folding mirror is contoured to correct for spherical aberration of said spherical mirrors.

Claim 14

Apparatus as recited in claim 4 in which at least said second concave spherical mirror, said obtuse spherical mirror, and said second and third folding mirrors are cooled.

Claim 15

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical system includes: a first concave spherical mirror positioned to intercept radiation passing through and perpendicular to the plane of said aperture stop, the center of said stop defining the center of curvature of said mirror and defining an optical axis perpendicular to said plane, said mirror having a central aperture therein adjacent said optical axis for transmitting radiation therethrough; a first substantially planar folding mirror, positioned between said stop and said spherical mirror, to receive radiation from said spherical mirror to direct said Radiation through said central aperture to a focal surface; an obtuse spherical mirror positioned to receive radiation from said central aperture; a second concave spherical mirror, having a central aperture therein, said first and second concave mirrors being back to back to cause said central apertures to coincide, said second mirror being positioned to receive radiation from said obtuse mirror; a second substantially planar folding mirror having a third central aperture therein, positioned to receive radiation from said second concave spherical mirror; and a third substantially planar folding mirror, positioned to receive radiation from said second folding mirror and to direct such radiation through said third aperture onto a focal surface, the center of curvature of said second concave and said obtuse mirrors being at the center of the image of said aperture stop.

Claim 16

Apparatus as recited in claim 8 and further comprising a radiation detector situated substantially at the focal surface of radiation reflected from said third folding mirror.

Claim 17

Apparatus as recited in claim 9 in which said second folding mirror is contoured to correct for spherical aberration of said spherical mirrors.

Claim 18

Apparatus as recited in claim 8 in which at least said second concave spherical mirror, said obtuse spherical mirror, said second and third folding mirrors, and said radiation detector are cooled.

Claim 19

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical system includes: a substantially planar folding mirror, angularly positioned at an angle to said optical axis to define a second optical axis which is the mirror reflection of said first optical axis; said folding mirror having a first aperture formed centrally thereof in the vicinity of the intersection of said first and second optical axes; a first substantially spherical concave mirror having its center of curvature at said center of said aperture stop out-folded onto said second optical axis; the size of said aperture in said first planar mirror being sufficient to allow rays from said concave mirror, originating within the field of view of said aperture stop, to pass therethrough; means forming a second concave mirror, including a second aperture formed centrally thereof to receive light transmitted through said first aperture; a first obtuse mirror positioned to receive light transmitted through said second aperture and to reflect such radiation onto said second concave mirror; a second substantially planar folding mirror, having a third aperture in the center thereof, positioned to intercept radiation reflected from said second concave spherical mirror; a third substantially planar mirror surface, positioned to intercept radiation from said second folding mirror and to direct such radiation through said third aperture, said second concave mirror and said obtuse mirror being centered on the imaged center of said aperture stop.

Claim 20

Apparatus as recited in claim 12 and further comprising a radiation detector situated substantially at the focal surface of radiation reflected from said third folding mirror.

Claim 21

Apparatus as recited in claim 13 in which at least said second concave spherical, said obtuse spherical mirror, said second and third folding mirrors and said radiation detector are cooled.

Claim 22

Apparatus as recited in claim 12 in which the surface of said second substantially planar folding mirror is contoured to correct for spherical aberration of said spherical mirrors.

Claim 23

Apparatus as recited in claim 15 in which said aperture stop is substantially symmetrical about said first optical axis and said spherical mirrors and second and third folding mirrors and said apertures are substantially symmetrical about said second optical axis.

Claim 24

An all mirror high resolution wide field of view optical system comprising a plurality of mirrors positioned in coacting optical image forming relationship along an optical axis, said system comprising: A. means forming a symmetrical aperture stop lying in a plane perpendicular to said optical axis, said stop being centered on said optical axis and the intersection of said optical axis and the center of said aperture stop defining a first center of curvature point; b. at least one planar folding mirror positioned to fold said optical axis and producing at least one image of said aperture stop and said first center of curvature point on said optical axis, said first point and said image thereof comprising a plurality of center of curvature points; c. a plurality of spherical mirrors, each of said mirrors being centered on one of said plurality of center of curvature points; d. an aspheric mirror centered on the optical axis and positioned substantially in the plane of said image of said aperture stop to correct the system for spherical aberration; and e. said system having all of said mirrors aligned on said optical axis to successively reflect radiant energy incident through said aperture stop from object space to a focal surface to form an image thereon, the elements of said system comprising:

Claim 25

An all mirror high resolution wide field of view optical system comprising a plurality of mirrors positioned in coacting optical image forming relationship along an optical axis, said system comprising: A. means forming a symmetrical aperture stop lying in a plane perpendicular to said optical axis, said stop being centered on said optical axis and the intersection of said optical axis and the center of said aperture stop defining a first center of curvature point; b. at least one planar folding mirror positioned to fold said optical axis and producing at least one image of said aperture stop and said first center of curvature point on said optical axis, said first point and said image thereof comprising a plurality of center of curvature points; c. a plurality of spherical mirrors, each of said mirrors being centered on one of said plurality of center of curvature points; d. an aspheric mirror centered on the optical axis and positioned substantially in the plane of said image of said aperture stop to correct the system for spherical aberration; and e. said system having all of said mirrors aligned on said optical axis to successively reflect radiant energy incident through said aperture stop from object space to a focal surface to form an image thereon, the elements of said system comprising:

Claim 26

Apparatus as recited in claim 17 and further comprising a radiation detector situated substantially at the said focal surface of radiation reflected from said second spherical mirror.

Claim 27

Apparatus as recited in claim 17 in which said second folding mirror is positioned substantially in the plane of the image of said aperture stop and is contoured to correct for spherical aberration of said spherical mirrors.

Claim 28

Apparatus as recited in claim 19 in which said mirrors and said apertures are substantially symmetrical about said optical axis.

Claim 29

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical system includes: a first folding mirror, having an aperture therein substantially in the region of said optical axis, to reflect radiation transmitted through said stop substantially parallel to said first optical axis into a direction parallel to a second optical axis; a substantially spherical concave mirror, positioned to receive radiation reflected from said first planar mirror; the center of curvature of said spherical mirror being a distance equal to the distance from the center of said spherical mirror to the center of said folding mirror plus the distance from said center of said folding mirror to the intersection with said aperture stop, said distances being measured along said optical axes, the intersection of said first axis with the plane of said optical stop defining a first center of curvature point; a second concave spherical mirror having a second aperture therein, said second aperture being aligned with the aperture in said planar mirror and being of sufficient size to receive radiation transmitted from said first spherical mirror through said first aperture stop; a second substantially planar folding mirror positioned to receive and intercept radiation transmitted through said second aperture; and said second sphericAl mirror being positioned to intercept radiation reflected from said second folding mirror and to focus such received radiation onto a focal surface.

Claim 30

Apparatus as recited in claim 21 and further comprising a radiation detector situated substantially at the focal surface of radiation reflected from said second spherical mirror.

Claim 31

Apparatus as recited in claim 22 in which said second folding mirror is positioned substantially in the plane of the reimage of said aperture stop, the center of curvature of said second mirror being at the reimage of the center of curvature of said first spherical mirror and substantially within the plane of the reimage of said aperture stop, said second folding mirror being contoured to correct for spherical aberration of said spherical mirrors.

Claim 32

Apparatus as recited in claim 23 in which said spherical mirrors, said apertures, and said second planar mirror are substantially symmetrical about said second optical axis.