Dynamic aberrations correction of Roll-Nod conformal seeker based on the diffraction surface and anamorphic asphere surface

Abstract

Traditional optical domes are spherical, which have a large air resistance coefficient. In order to reduce the coefficient of air resistance, conformal optical technology was proposed, which used a streamlined design of the outer surface of the dome. However, conformal domes generate dynamic aberrations varying significantly with look angles in the field of regard (FOR). Thus, correcting the dynamic aberrations is the core task of conformal optics. This Letter presented a correcting method of dynamic aberrations based on the diffraction surface and anamorphic asphere surface. This method is derived from the arch corrector and can only be used on the Roll-Nod gimbal. For the seeker with a Roll-Nod gimbal, the arch corrector is replaced with a diffractive surface superimposed on the inner surface of the conformal dome. To correct astigmatism, which is the main aberration that needs to be corrected, anamorphic asphere surfaces are used in the imaging system. Compared with the arch corrector, this method can reduce the size of the correction element while retaining sufficient design freedom. Design results show that this method can well correct the dynamic aberrations in a larger FOR. With a simpler form in structure, this method can improve the reliability of conformal optical systems and promote the application of conformal optical technology.