Technique for narrow-band imaging in the far ultraviolet based on aberration-corrected holographic gratings

We have developed a new family of imaging spectrometer designs that combine the imaging power of two-element telescopes with the aberration control of first-generation holographic gratings. The resulting optical designs provide high spatial resolution over modest fields of view at selectable wavelengths. These all-reflective designs are particularly suited for narrow-band imaging below 1050 A, the wavelength below which there are no transmitting materials in the UV. We have developed designs to efficiently map the spatial distribution of UV-emitting material. This mapping capability is absent in current and future astronomical instruments but is crucial to the understanding of the nature of a variety of astrophysical phenomena. Although our examples focus on UV wavelengths, the design concept is applicable to any wavelength.