Design features of the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT)

Because astronomical millimeter observations are strongly impeded by atmospheric water vapor in the line of sight, MM-wave telescopes must be placed at high mountain sites with a dry atmosphere. The LMT will be located on Cerro la Negra in central Mexico at an altitude of 4600 m. The antenna is currently in the critical design phase at MAN Technologie, Germany. In this paper we summarize the salient features of the LMT design with particular reference to the special methods required to realize the stringent specifications for operation at 1 mm wavelength.