Sidelobe optical simulations of the LiteBIRD low-frequency telescope and payload module

LiteBIRD is a JAXA-led international project aimed to make high sensitivity measurements of the primordial B modes through cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization observations. The Low-Frequency Telescope (LFT) is a modified crossed Dragone reflective telescope with a 18° × 9° field-of-view across the 34-161 GHz. To achieve the required observational sensitivity, the telescope's sidelobe response must be characterized to high precision to minimize signal contamination systematic effects from galactic and foreground emission. We report on the development of LFT optical simulation models that include the reflector optics, optimized serrations, finite absorptivity baffling, and V-grooves, and characterize the LFT sidelobes accounting for multiple reflection and diffraction optical effects. We find that the implementation of triangular and cos2 shaped serrations on the primary and secondary reflectors are effective in reducing asymmetric sidelobe power fluctuations to ≤ 1.42×10−4 and ≤ 1.20 × 10−4, respectively, at 34 GHz at 5.5° ≤ θbeam ≤ 35° from the beam center. Without telescope baffling, the LFT optics show prominent direct sidelobe and diffuse triple reflection sidelobes with peak powers of ≤ −35.49 dB and ≤ −38.65 dB, respectively. It was found that implementing a finite absorptivity focal plane (FP) hood and forebaffle allows for effectively mitigating these sidelobes to ≤ −58.66 dB at 34 and 42 GHz for θ > 45° from boresight. Further including V-grooves in the optical simulation model, it was found that the V-grooves attenuate the far sidelobe power at El < −50° to ≤ −74.8 dB. All these far-sidelobe features are found to be below the LiteBIRD sidelobe knowledge requirement levels.