Optical design of the EPIC-IM crossed Dragone telescope

Huan Tran, Brad Johnson, Mark Dragovan, James Bock, Abdullah Aljabri, Alex Amblard, Daniel Bauman, Marc Betoule, Talso Chui, Loris Colombo, Asantha Cooray, Dustin Crumb, Peter Day, Clive Dickenson, Darren Dowell, Sunil Golwala, Krzysztof Gorski, Shaul Hanany, Warren Holmes, Kent IrwinBrian Keating, Chao Lin Kuo, Adrian Lee, Andrew Lange, Charles Lawrence, Steve Meyer, Nate Miller, Hien Nguyen, Elena Pierpaoli, Nicolas Ponthieu, Jean Loup Puget, Jeff Raab, Paul Richards, Celeste Satter, Mike Seiffert, Meir Shimon, Brett Williams, Jonas Zmuidzinas

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Experimental Probe of Inflationary Cosmology - Intermediate Mission (EPIC-IM) is a concept for the NASA Einstein Inflation Probe satellite. EPIC-IM is designed to characterize the polarization properties of the Cosmic Microwave Background to search for the B-mode polarization signal characteristic of gravitational waves generated during the epoch of Inflation in the early universe. EPIC-IM employs a large focal plane with 11,000 detectors operating in 9 wavelength bands to provide 30 times higher sensitivity than the currently operating Planck satellite. The optical design is based on a wide-field 1.4 m crossed-Dragone telescope, an aperture that allows not only comprehensive measurements of Inflationary B-mode polarization, but also measurements of the E-mode and lensing polarization signals to cosmological limits, as well as all-sky maps of Galactic polarization with unmatched sensitivity and angular resolution. The optics are critical to measuring these extremely faint polarization signals, and any design must meet demanding requirements on systematic error control. We describe the EPIC-IM crossed Dragone optical design, its polarization properties, and far-sidelobe response.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010
Subtitle of host publicationOptical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave - San Diego, CA, United States
Duration: Jun 27 2010Jul 2 2010

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume7731
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego, CA
Period6/27/107/2/10

Keywords

  • Cosmic microwave background
  • Cosmology
  • Inflation
  • Mission concept
  • Optical design
  • Polarization
  • Satellite

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