Telescopes for QKD - based on metal optics
The development of a lightweight, miniaturised telescope for optical free beam connections as part of the QuNET initiative is presented. The telescope with a four-mirror design and 100 mm aperture utilises precision diamond machining and additively manufactured housing structures.
The development and manufacturing of a lightweight, miniaturized telescope as receiver and
transmitter unit for optical free-space communication for QKD within the framework of the
QuNET initiative is presented. The metal-optical telescope made from an aluminum-silicon
material is based on a four-mirror design with an aperture of 100 mm. It combines a topology optimized, additively manufactured housing structure with an active tip-tilt mirror and five
additional optical functional surfaces on two substrates. The manufacturing of multiple optical
functional surfaces on a single substrate is made possible by ultra-precise diamond machining
as a freeform surface. Further process steps such as coating and polishing produce the final
high-performance optics for the telescope.
Presentation language: ENG
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