NOAO Abstracts for SPIE Meeting in March

Effect of Telecentric Use of Narrow-Band Imaging Filters on Diffraction Limited Imaging

Authors:

Jacques M. Beckers

Abstract:

Sometimes Fabry-Perot, and other narrow-band filters, are used for astronomical imaging in the so-called telecentric mode. In it the pupil is collimated through the filter, resulting in different incidence angles on the filter for rays coming from different parts of the objective. This results in variations of the central transmission wavelength, which broaden the effective filter bandpath. In addition each wavelength within this filter bandpath sees a different illumination of the pupil when viewed from behind the filter. This causes the diffraction limited point-spread-function to vary with wavelength. With the advent of diffraction limited imaging using adaptive optics, this can cause complications. In this paper, which elaborates further on research published elsewhere, I examine the magnitude of this effect.

[NOAO at the SPIE Meeting in March]

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Posted: 02Mar1998