Antares Optics ...quality and precision

Frequently Ask Questions (FAQ) Secondary mirrors 1) Does Antares Optics really sell "1/30 wave" flats? 2) Does Antares Optics certify every mirror sold? Does it give Zygo interferograms with every mirror? 3) What coating does Antares Optics offer on their secondary mirrors? 4) What is the reflectivity of Antares Optics secondary coatings? 5) I Want to Strip the coating off my old mirror. How can I do this? 6) Can I order special size secondary mirrors or custom optical components? 7) How accurate should my secondary mirror be? As good or better than my primary mirror? 8) Will Antares Optics ship my mirror to my telescope maker if I request them to? 9) Will Antares Optics test my existing mirror before I commit to buying a new one? 1) Does Antares Optics really sell "1/30 wave" flats? Yes we do. We are an Ultra Precision Optics Manufacturer. We do not resell optics produced overseas. Ariel Optics, Antares Optics produces custom optics for a host of military, medical, & privately held companies. Our new 12 inch phase measuring interferometer is 1/30 wave PV over the entire 12 inch aperture. If you measure a small 2.00" diameter on its reference flat, it measures better than 1/50 - 1/100 wave PV. More than adequate to measure a 1/20 or 1/30 wave PV on a little secondary mirror. Most of our competitors don't understand, or don't want to understand, that this type of quality optic is produced daily here at Ariel & Antares Optics. Our customers mentioned above have the capability to test these claims. They can and do. We deliver. 2) Does Antares Optics certify every mirror it sells. Does it give Zygo interferograms with every mirror? Yes we do. Antares Optics was the first to certify every mirror it sells. We own several Zygo Phase Measuring interferometers, including our new 12 inch GPI. (see about us) Most other suppliers only use the sample method. We know this doesn't work very consistently. How do we know this? We make the mirrors! We block grind and polish the substrates. Then we test them before and after de-blocking. We reject all polished substrates with a less than 1/15 wave PV value. We then send them to coating, and we measure the flatness again after coating to make sure the coating process was successful. 3) What coating does Antares Optics offer on their secondary mirrors? Our fine annealed Pyrex and Fused Silica Quartz substrates are all precision made. Very sought after by other suppliers and Telescope makers. The polished flats are coated with enhanced aluminum (EAL). Using E beam deposition, with ion assist. The result is a durable and highly reflective (96-98%) finish. Coating curve certification included. We sell to many customers, large and small alike. 4) What is the reflectivity of Antares Optics secondary coatings? Enhanced aluminum coating, with better than 96%-98% reflectance. Using E beam deposition, with ion assist. Coating curve certification included. 5) I Want to Strip the coating off my old mirror. How can I do this? These coating are designed to be durable & tough. Under the aluminum is a layer of chromium. (A bonding agent to promote good adhesion of the aluminum.) On top of the Aluminum there are two layers of dielectric, (TiO2, &SiO2) They protect the aluminum from corrosion and gives it a reflectance boost. That's how Enhanced Aluminum (EAL) achieves 96% reflectance. Our answer to this question: Leave this to your coater. They are all, too well experienced with stripping off their coatings. 6) Can I order a special size secondary mirror? Yes, we can and do produce almost any optical component. Custom or catalog. Ariel & Antares Optics is one of the finest precision plano optics manufacturers in the world. If we say we can't make it, good luck finding someone that can. 7) How accurate should my secondary mirror be? As good or better than my primary mirror? There are a few schools of thought regarding this. Please read, "The advantages of a nearly perfect secondary mirror" on the website. Short answer: The secondary should be twice as accurate as the Primary. 8) Will Antares Optics ship my mirror to my telescope maker if I request them to? Yes, of course. We ship to some of the finest primary mirror and telescope makers in the world. Just give us your shipping instructions and notify your ATM that they can expect a package. 9) Will Antares Optics test my existing mirror before I commit to buying a new one? Yes we will do this for most domestic customers, if the privilege is not abused. From time to time, you may find your present mirror is adequate for your array. There may be no need to upgrade, but the final choice is yours. (last updated October 2009)