Gudmundsson Jon E, Gallardo Patricio A, Puddu Roberto, Dicker Simon R, Adler Alexandre E, Ali Aamir M, Bazarko Andrew, Chesmore Grace E, Coppi Gabriele, Cothard Nicholas F, Dachlythra Nadia, Devlin Mark, Dünner Rolando, Fabbian Giulio, Galitzki Nicholas, Golec Joseph E, Patty Ho Shuay-Pwu, Hargrave Peter C, Kofman Anna M, Lee Adrian T, Limon Michele, Matsuda Frederick T, Mauskopf Philip D, Moodley Kavilan, Nati Federico, Niemack Michael D, Orlowski-Scherer John, Page Lyman A, Partridge Bruce, Puglisi Giuseppe, Reichardt Christian L, Sierra Carlos E, Simon Sara M, Teply Grant P, Tucker Carole, Wollack Edward J, Xu Zhilei, Zhu Ningfeng
Appl Opt. 2021 Feb 1;60(4):823-837. doi: 10.1364/AO.411533.
We present geometrical and physical optics simulation results for the Simons Observatory Large Aperture Telescope. This work was developed as part of the general design process for the telescope, allowing us to evaluate the impact of various design choices on performance metrics and potential systematic effects. The primary goal of the simulations was to evaluate the final design of the reflectors and the cold optics that are now being built. We describe nonsequential ray tracing used to inform the design of the cold optics, including absorbers internal to each optics tube. We discuss ray tracing simulations of the telescope structure that allow us to determine geometries that minimize detector loading and mitigate spurious near-field effects that have not been resolved by the internal baffling. We also describe physical optics simulations, performed over a range of frequencies and field locations, that produce estimates of monochromatic far-field beam patterns, which in turn are used to gauge general optical performance. Finally, we describe simulations that shed light on beam sidelobes from panel gap diffraction.
