Optically sparse primary aperture for high spatial resolution imaging

Abstract

Existing telescope designs require increasing number of sub-apertures for optimum performance. However, with the increasing number of sub-apertures, number and amplitudes of sidelobes increase. Along with that, increase in the primary maxima, resulting trade-off of imaging quality. An optically sparse primary aperture for high spatial resolution imaging is disclosed, comprising central sub-aperture and plurality of peripheral sub-apertures, the peripheral sub-apertures form concentric patterns around the central sub-aperture, Size of the central sub-aperture and the plurality of peripheral sub-apertures is in a proportionate relationship. Further, the plurality of the peripheral sub-apertures forms at least two concentric zones, wherein each concentric zone has equal number peripheral sub-apertures from among the plurality of peripheral sub-apertures, and the sizes of the peripheral sub-apertures in each two adjacent concentric zones have a proportionate relationship. This way there is significant side lobe suppression compensating the imaging performance loss due to reduced aperture area.