MOONS (Multi-Object Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph) is a third-generation visible and near-infrared spectrograph for the ESO Very Large Telescope, currently nearing the end of the assembly phase. The three channel spectrograph is fed via a fibre positioning module (FPM) which configures the location of 1001 fibres. The robotic fibre positioning units (FPUs) have been jointly developed by the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UKATC) and MPS Microsystems (MPS) and provide a high-performance multiplexed focal plane with excellent transmission characteristics. An overview of the as-built mechanisms and supporting infrastructure is presented, with details on the extensive calibration process carried out. The integration process to date will be described, including a discussion of key lessons learned.
Miniature ceramic cantilevers have been successfully applied to the fabrication of simple and low-cost piezoresistive thick-film force-sensing cells, using different thick-film and LTCC (low-temperature co-fired ceramic) substrates. The availability of thin substrates for some materials allows much improved sensitivity compared to classical thick-film technology, with LTCC also featuring rather low substrate elastic modulus and fine structurability. However, practical applicability may be hindered by processing difficulties, such as printing and handling very thin fired substrates, or, in the case of co-fired tapes, warpage during firing. Also, signal drift is observed with some devices. In this work, we show that most of the previously-observed signal drift in some LTCC sensors is not due to self-heating, and therefore stems from defects such as micro-cracks within the ceramic cantilevers or plastic deformations in internal conductors. In a second step, we explore manufacturability of thick-film cantilevers on very thin substrates, and show that it is possible to print a single-sided design on substrates with thickness as low as 45 μm, although a lower limit of ~100 μm, depending on substrate material, is more practical.
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