A versatile birefringent filter |
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| Authors: | Kerstin Fredga J A Högbom |
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| Institution: | (1) Sonnenborgh Observatory, Utrecht, The Netherlands;(2) Stockholm Observatory, Saltsjöbaden, Sweden;(3) Kapteyn Astronomical Laboratory, Groningen, The Netherlands;(4) The Netherlands Foundation for Radio Astronomy, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | The theory of the  olc birefringent filter is complicated and the general formulae describing its optical properties do not invite to any simple physical picture. Due to these formal difficulties, many of its inherent possibilities have not been fully appreciated. In this paper we point out some new possibilities for filters based on this general design.The detailed shape of the transmission profile is a function of the angles of the crystal plate optic axes. It is shown how unwanted transmission sidelobes can be suppressed to any desired level by altering the distribution of plate angles. By the same means, the transmission band can be split into two symmetrically placed replicas, and the distance between the two bands can be varied. In this way the filter can easily be tuned over half the free spectral range.Some of the error sources that are important to filter performance are discussed. An expression is given for the amount of parasitic light introduced by errors in the orientation of the plate optic axes and it is found that errors as large as 0°.5 can be tolerated. A laboratory experiment with 16 birefringent plates has shown that accuracies an order of magnitude better than this figure can easily be achieved. Manufacturing errors in the thickness of the plates can be compensated for by assembling the pile of plates in a particular way. The very strict tolerances usually quoted can therefore be considerably relaxed. |
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