Automating structural-thermal-optical performance analysis by linking finite element analysis with optical performance calculations to enable opto-mechanical parametric study and optimization

Designing high-precision optical components for space applications presents challenges due to numerous input parameters and objectives. A critical aspect is accurately predicting optical surface form deviations at the nanometer scale, which is not typically supported by standard mechanical engineering software. This paper introduces a framework that automates integration of finite element analysis (FEA) tools with optical performance calculation to enable structural-thermal-optical performance (STOP) analysis. The workflow supports multiple iterative parametric geometry generation which facilitates parametric study and optimization. Additionally, it can perform sensitivity analysis and construct response surfaces that relate design parameters to optical surface form deviation and employs a multi-objective optimization algorithm to identify configurations achieving nanometer-scale deviations, optimizing high-precision optical components.