Evacuated optical structure comprising optical bench mounted to sidewall of vacuum chamber in a manner which inhibits deflection and rotation of the optical bench

Patent · 01 January 1994

OSTI ID:869245

Bowers, Joel M ^[1]

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1. Livermore, CA

An improved evacuated optical structure is disclosed comprising an optical bench mounted in a vacuum vessel in a manner which inhibits transmission of movement of the vacuum vessel to the optical bench, yet provides a compact and economical structure. The vacuum vessel is mounted, through a sidewall thereof, to a support wall at four symmetrically positioned and spaced apart areas, each of which comprises a symmetrically positioned group of mounting structures passing through the sidewall of the vacuum vessel. The optical bench is pivotally secured to the vacuum vessel by four symmetrically spaced apart bolts and spherical bearings, each of which is centrally positioned within one of the four symmetrically positioned groups of vacuum vessel mounting structures. Cover plates and o-ring seals are further provided to seal the vacuum vessel mounting structures from the interior of the vacuum vessel, and venting bores are provided to vent trapped gases in the bores used to secure the cover plates and o-rings to the vacuum vessel. Provision for detecting leaks in the mounting structures from the rear surface of the vacuum vessel sidewall facing the support wall are also provided. Deflection to the optical bench within the vacuum vessel is further minimized by tuning the structure for a resonant frequency of at least 100 Hertz.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5305152
• OSTI ID: 869245
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/359/
100
apart
bearings
bench
bench mounted
bolts
bores
centrally
chamber
compact
comprises
comprising
cover
cover plate
cover plates
deflection
detecting
detecting leaks
disclosed
disclosed comprising
economical
evacuated
evacuated optical
facing
frequency
gases
hertz
improved
inhibits
interior
leaks
manner
minimized
mounted
mounting
mounting structure
movement
o-ring
o-ring seal
o-ring seals
o-rings
optical
optical bench
optical structure
passing
pivotally
plates
positioned
provided
provides
provision
rear
rear surface
resonant
resonant frequency
rotation
seal
seals
secure
secured
sidewall
spaced
spaced apart
spherical
structure
structure comprising
structures
support
surface
symmetrically
symmetrically positioned
transmission
trapped
trapped gas
tuning
vacuum
vacuum chamber
vacuum vessel
venting
vessel
wall