Diffraction models of radiation entering an aperture for use in a Monte Carlo ray-trace environment

Katherine L. Coffey; Kory J. Priestley; J. Robert Mahan; Maria Cristina Sanchez

doi:10.1117/12.328547

29 October 1998 Diffraction models of radiation entering an aperture for use in a Monte Carlo ray-trace environment

Katherine L. Coffey, Kory J. Priestley, J. Robert Mahan, Maria Cristina Sanchez

Proceedings Volume 3429, Current Developments in Optical Design and Engineering VII; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.328547
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

This manuscript presents multiple modeling efforts to describe diffraction of monochromatic radiant energy passing through an aperture for use in the Monte-Carlo ray-trace environment. Described is a deterministic model, based upon Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, which predicts the angle at which an approaching ray is diffracted. The result is a curve which approximates the analytical interference pattern, but does not model the side fringes (i.e. secondary maxima). This model is applicable to either Fraunhofer (far-field) or Fresnel (near- field) diffraction situations. In addition to this model, a diffraction model is presented that approximates the interference pattern including the secondary maxima, as produced by radiation passing through a slit or a circular aperture. This model, based on the Huygens-Fresnel principle with a correcting obliquity factor, is useful for predicting Fraunhofer (far-field) diffraction in the Monte-Carlo ray- trace environment. The motivation for this work is the need to properly model the diffraction of radiant energy as it approaches a detector intended for monitoring the Earth's radiation budget from a geo-stationary orbit. The proposed detector, a linear-array of thermopile elements, is housed in a wedge-shaped cavity with a 60-$micrometer slit through which radiant energy between wavelengths of 0.1 micrometer and 40 micrometer must pass. A radiative model of this cavity which does not account for diffraction effects has already been developed using the Monte Carlo ray-trace method. This detector was originally intended to fly on the Geo-Stationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument.

Citation Download Citation

Katherine L. Coffey, Kory J. Priestley, J. Robert Mahan, and Maria Cristina Sanchez "Diffraction models of radiation entering an aperture for use in a Monte Carlo ray-trace environment", Proc. SPIE 3429, Current Developments in Optical Design and Engineering VII, (29 October 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.328547

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