Abstract

Various refractive null-testing arrangements have been used over the years for testing concave nonspherical mirrors. This paper presents a method for null testing that uses a single plano–convex lens to compensate for the spherical aberration of a concave conic mirror when tested at its center of curvature. This testing method, called the Ross null test, requires a high-quality null lens and a standard Foucault test apparatus. This paper presents graphical and numerical data that provide the necessary parameters for implementing the Ross null test for mirrors with focal ratios ranging from f/3.5 to f/10 and for conic deformations ranging from eccentricities of 0.70–1.50.

© 1993 Optical Society of America

Null test for a highly paraboloidal mirror

Taehee Kim, James H. Burge, Yunwoo Lee, and Sungsik Kim
Appl. Opt. 43(18) 3614-3618 (2004)

Null Test for Wright Telescope Mirrors

Edgar Everhart
Appl. Opt. 5(5) 717-718 (1966)

Hubble Space Telescope primary-mirror characterization by measurement of the reflective null corrector

L. Furey, T. Dubos, D. Hansen, and J. Samuels-Schwartz
Appl. Opt. 32(10) 1703-1714 (1993)

Application of the Rayleigh Criterion to the Null Test of Dall-Kirkham Primary Mirrors

P. R. Yoder, F. B. Patrick, and A. E. Gee
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 45(10) 881-883 (1955)

Near-null interferometry using an aspheric null lens generating a broad range of variable spherical aberration for flexible test of aspheres

Shuai Xue, Shanyong Chen, and Guipeng Tie
Opt. Express 26(24) 31172-31189 (2018)