Dual-secondary mirror cassegrain optical system

Claim 2

An optical system for transmitting and receiving optical radiation comprising: first optics means for providing a first optical beam path; and second optics means for providing a second optical beam path spatially separated from and coaxial with said first optical beam path; said first optics means comprising a primary mirror and a secondary mirror, both of said mirrors having a central aperture and being aligned coaxially for providing a common optical system axis, said secondary mirror being movably positioned along said system axis for variably expanding and reflecting optical radiation toward said primary mirror, and said primary mirror being disposed for intercepting and redirecting optical radiation received from said secondary mirror.

Claim 3

An optical system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said primary mirror and said first secondary mirror function as an afocal beam expander for receiving a hollow laser beam and transmitting an expanded hollow beam of radiation.

Claim 4

An optical system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second optics means comprises a second secondary mirror being aligned coaxially along said common system axis; said first secondary mirror being disposed between said primary mirror and said second secondary mirror; a portion of said primary mirror being disposed for intercepting received optical radiation and redirecting said received radiation onto said second secondary mirror; said second secondary mirror being disposed for redirecting received radiation coaxially through the apertures of said primary and first secondary mirrors toward a focal plane.

Claim 5

An optical system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said primary mirror is a concave paraboloid, said first secondary mirror is a convex hyperboloid.

Claim 6

An optical system for transmitting and receiving optical radiation comprising: first optics means for providing a first optical beam path; and second optics means for providing a second optical beam path spatially separated from and coaxial with said first optical beam path; said first optics means comprising a primary mirror and a first secondary mirror aligned coaxially along a common optical axis and each having a central aperture therein for passing optical radiation therethrough; said second optics means comprising a second secondary mirror aligned coaxially along said common optical axis; said first secondary mirror being disposed coaxially between said primary mirror and said second secondary mirror; said primary mirror being disposed for intercepting received optical radiation and redirecting said received radiation onto said secondary mirrors, said first secondary mirror being disposed for intercepting an inner annulus of received radiation and redirecting it coaxially through the primary mirror aperture, said second secondary mirror being disposed for intercepting an outer annulus of the received radiation and redirecting it coaxially through the apertures of said first secondary mirror and said primary mirror, and thereby providing two separate and distinct beams of radiation.

Claim 7

An optical system for transmitting and receiving optical radiation comprising: first optics means for providing a first optical beam path; and second optics means for providing a second optical beam path spatially separated from and coaxial with said first optical beam path; said first optics means comprising a primary mirror and a first secondary mirror aligned coaxially along a common optical axis and each having a central aperture therein for passing optical radiation therethrough; said second optics means comprising a second secondary mirror aligned coaxially along said common optical axis; said first secondary mirror being disposed coaxially between said primary mirror and said second secondary mirror; said primary mirror being disposed for intercepting received optical radiation and redirecting said received radiation onto said secondary mirrors, said first secondary mirror being disposed for intercepting an inner annulus of received radiation and redirecting it coaxially through the primary mirror aperture, said second secondary mirror being disposed for intercepting an outer annulus of the received radiation and redirecting it coaxially through the apertures of said first secondary mirror and said primary mirror, and thereby providing two separate and distinct beams of radiation.

Claim 8

An optical system as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising a focal means coaxial with said optical axis for receiving radiation from said second secondary mirror to provide a narrow field of view of the source of said radiation; a flat mirror disposed adjacent and behind said primary mirror, said flat mirror being perforated for passing radiation from said second secondary mirror to said focal means; a low power telescope for providing a wide field of view of the source of said radiation, said flat mirror being disposed for reflecting radiation from said first secondary mirror to said telescope.

Claim 9

An optical system for transmitting and receiving optical radiation comprising: first optics means for providing a first optical beam path; second optics means for providing a second optical beam path spatially separated from and coaxial with said first optical beam path; and an optical signal receiver; and wherein said first optical path is provided by a primary mirror and a first secondary mirror; said second optical path is provided by said primary mirror and a second secondary mirror; said first secondary mirror being disposed movably coaxially between the other mirrors, said mirrors having a common coaxial optical axis, said primary mirror having a central aperture therein and being disposed for receiving radiation from a distant object and redirecting the radiation to at least one of said secondary mirrors, said secondary mirrors being disposed for directing said received radiation to said optical signal receiver.

Claim 10

An optical system for transmitting and receiving optical radiation comprising: first optics means for providing a first optical beam path; second optics means for providing a second optical beam path spatially separated from and coaxial with said first optical beam path; and an optical signal receiver; and wherein said first optical path is provided by a primary mirror and a first secondary mirror; said second optical path is provided by said primary mirror and a second secondary mirror; said first secondary mirror being disposed movably coaxially between the other mirrors, said mirrors having a common coaxial optical axis, said primary mirror having a central aperture therein and being disposed for receiving radiation from a distant object and redirecting the radiation to at least one of said secondary mirrors, said secondary mirrors being disposed for directing said received radiation to said optical signal receiver.

Claim 11

An optical system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said secondary mirrors are further disposed for receiving radiation coupled through said primary mirror aperture for transmission to a distant object, said secondary mirrors being disposed for directing said transmission radiation to said primary mirror for redirection toward said distant object.

Claim 12

An optical system for transmitting and receiving optical radiation comprising: first optics means for providing a first optical beam path; and second optics means for providing a second optical beam path spatially separated from and coaxial with said first optical beam path; said first optical path being provided by a first portion of said primary mirror and a first secondary mirror, said second optical path being provided by a second portion of said primary mirror and a second secondary mirror; said first secondary mirror being disposed movably between the other mirrors, all of said mirrors having a common coaxial optical axis; said primary mirror and said first secondary mirror having a central aperture, said secondary mirrors being disposed for receiving radiation coupled through said primary mirror aperture for transmission, said secondary mirrors being positioned for redirecting radiation toward said primary mirror for directing two separate and distinct beams toward said distant object, said beams being hollow and coaxial.

Claim 13

An optical system for transmitting and receiving optical radiation comprising: first optics means for providing a first optical beam path; and second optics means for providing a second optical beam path spatially separated from and coaxial with said first optical beam path; said first optical path being provided by a first portion of said primary mirror and a first secondary mirror, said second optical path being provided by a second portion of said primary mirror and a second secondary mirror; said first secondary mirror being disposed movably between the other mirrors, all of said mirrors having a common coaxial optical axis; said primary mirror and said first secondary mirror having a central aperture, said secondary mirrors being disposed for receiving radiation coupled through said primary mirror aperture for transmission, said secondary mirrors being positioned for redirecting radiation toward said primary mirror for directing two separate and distinct beams toward said distant object, said beams being hollow and coaxial.