Remote sensing catadioptric telescope corrector lens design for facilitating measurement of center thickness and air gaps of inner lenses using low-coherence interferometry

Whether the center thickness and air gaps of the inner lens can be measured during lens assembly depends on the configuration of the entire lens assembly. The corrector lens of a conventional remote sensing catadioptric telescope generates divergent optical information because of its negative diopter lens constructions. Consequently, the center thickness of the lenses and center air gaps between lens interfaces cannot be easily measured. This can be solved by equipping a positive diopter lens on the image side during remote sensing catadioptric telescope lens optimization and by measuring the center thickness and air gap of the lens from the image side through low–coherence interferometry. The results of this study indicate that the optical signals and air gap interfaces of four lens elements can be clearly identified using low–coherence interferometry and that the center thickness and air gap interfaces of lenses can be calculated accurately.