Key Takeaways Fiber lasers (1.06 μm) excel in aerospace, defense, and medical sectors due to superior beam quality, efficiency (30–40%), compact design, and strong metal absorption, making them ideal for precision welding, micro-drilling, and high-energy defense systems. CO₂ lasers (10.6 μm) remain unmatched for non-metals and biological tissues, excelling in composites, ceramics, polymers, and soft-tissue […]
Key Takeaways A defense client required a 300 mm MgF₂ dome for airborne optical systems, demanding ≥80% transmission up to 5 µm. Major challenges included high raw material cost, fracture risk in machining, stringent bonding prep, and short lead time. Avantier optimized bonding design, introduced controlled roughness zones. These solutions cut fracture risk, boosted yield […]
Key Takeaways: Thermal management in space optics Thermal management in space optics ensures stable performance across the wide thermal variations typical of orbital environments—using passive techniques like matched-CTE materials, athermal optical design, and radiative shielding. These strategies prevent focus shift, wavefront distortion, and mechanical misalignment without adding mass or complexity. From CubeSats to deep space […]
Key Takeaways Meeting strict wavefront error (WFE) budgets is critical for space telescope optics, ensuring nanometer-level imaging accuracy and mission reliability. This article details practical strategies for managing WFE contributions from surface figure, alignment, coatings, and thermal effects. Advanced metrology techniques, such as phase-shifting interferometry and stitching profilometry, support precise wavefront measurement. By integrating custom […]
Key Takeaways Optical sensors for ADCS—including star trackers, sun sensors, and Earth horizon sensors—provide the high-precision attitude knowledge required for CubeSats and small satellite platforms. Avantier delivers space-qualified optical components engineered for SWaP-constrained missions, offering compact, radiation-hardened systems that maintain performance under vibration, thermal cycling, and radiation exposure. Miniaturized, athermally stabilized optics and lightweight optical […]
Wide Field Space Imaging Project Overview Meeting the growing demand for large-area Earth observation requires optical systems that combine wide field of view, high optical performance, and compact design. One such solution is a space camera optical system based on an off-axis four-mirror freeform design, achieving a 70° ultra-wide field of view from a 640 […]
Key Takeaways Satellite telescope coatings must support wide spectral ranges (UV to LWIR) while enduring radiation, AO exposure, and thermal cycles. AR coatings for lenses and windows require high transmittance, environmental resistance, and minimal outgassing. Gold and silver reflective coatings are essential for high-efficiency IR mirrors in thermal imaging telescopes. AO-resistant layers like ALD-deposited Al₂O₃ […]
Case Study: Achieving Exceptional Thermal Stability with CFRP in Space Telescopes
To ensure mission success in harsh environments, we optimized a high-performance imaging system by prioritizing thermal stability with CFRP. This case study details how replacing traditional materials with carbon fiber and refining assembly techniques delivered a lightweight, stable, and flight-ready optical system.
Key Takeaways Space-based telescopes are evolving rapidly, with growing demand for compact, high-performance optical systems. Freeform optics enable miniaturized designs, while SiC mirrors offer stability and low mass for harsh space environments. Lightweight structures are essential for both CubeSat payloads in LEO and large observatories in deep space. Across mission sizes, the trend is clear: […]
Key Takeaways Advanced wavefront sensors are fundamental to high-precision optical metrology and control across fields such as ophthalmology, semiconductor inspection, astronomy, and emerging space and laser systems. Their performance depends on refined optical design—particularly custom microlens arrays, coatings, and detectors that enhance accuracy, sensitivity, and dynamic range. This article explores how tailored optics and adaptive […]
