Adhesive Bonding for Optical Metrology Systems in Space Applications

Laser based metrology systems become more and more attractive for space applications and are the core elements of planned missions such as LISA (NGO, eLISA) or NGGM where laser interferometry is used for distance measurements between satellites. The GRACE-FO mission will for the first time demonstra...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of physics. Conference series Vol. 610; no. 1; pp. 12039 - 12042
Main Authors Gohlke, Martin, Schuldt, Thilo, Döringshoff, Klaus, Peters, Achim, Johann, Ulrich, Weise, Dennis, Braxmaier, Claus
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bristol IOP Publishing 11.05.2015
Subjects
Adhesive bonding
Adhesive strength
Ceramic bonding
Clocks
Distance measurement
Glass ceramics
GRACE (experiment)
Interferometry
Iodine
Laser applications
Laser interferometry
Lasers
Light sources
Low earth orbits
Metrology
Missions
Noise levels
Optical components
Optimization
Physics
Power consumption
Satellites
Space applications
Structural stability
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Summary:Laser based metrology systems become more and more attractive for space applications and are the core elements of planned missions such as LISA (NGO, eLISA) or NGGM where laser interferometry is used for distance measurements between satellites. The GRACE-FO mission will for the first time demonstrate a Laser Ranging Instrument (LRI) in space, starting 2017. Laser based metrology also includes optical clocks references, either as ultra-stable light source for high sensitivity interferometry or as scientific payload e.g. proposed in fundamental physics missions such as mSTAR (mini SpaceTime Asymmetry Research), a mission dedicated to perform a Kennedy-Thorndike experiment on a satellite in a low-Earth orbit. To enable the use of existing optical laboratory setups, optimization with respect to power consumption, weight and dimensions is necessary. At the same time the thermal and structural stability must be increased. Over the last few years we investigated adhesive bonding of optical components to thermally highly stable glass ceramics as an easy-to-handle assembly integration technology. Several setups were implemented and tested for potential later use in space applications. We realized a heterodyne LISA related interferometer with demonstrated noise levels in the pm-range for translation measurement and nano-radiant-range for tilt measurements and two iodine frequency references on Elegant Breadboard (EBB) and Engineering Model (EM) level with frequency stabilities in the 10-15 range for longer integration times. The EM setup was thermally cycled and vibration tested.
ISSN:1742-6588
1742-6596
DOI:10.1088/1742-6596/610/1/012039