IDL fabricating technique: further developments for the liquid and replicated mirrors of very large ground-based and space telescopes

摘要

Abstract: Results of advanced experiments in centrifugal molding of the mercury parabolic mirrors and convex replicable matrix are presented and discussed. The stationary ground-based installation was erected following the IDL fabrication technique and put into action. A number of important technical peculiarities of the installation are described along with some theoretical background for its dynamics. The experiments done prove well the IDL-technique prospects in building zenith telescopes employing liquid paraboloids as working mirrors beyond 10-m in diameters, as well as thin superlightweight replicated mirrors intended for the NGST- like projects.!9