ALOHA—Astronomical Light Optical Hybrid Analysis

Abstract

This paper gives an overview of the Astronomical Light Optical Hybrid Analysis (ALOHA) project dedicated to investigate a new method for high resolution imaging in mid infrared astronomy. This proposal aims to use a non-linear frequency conversion process to shift the thermal infrared radiation to a shorter wavelength domain compatible with proven technology such as guided optics and detectors. After a description of the principle, we summarise the evolution of our study from the high flux seminal experiments to the latest results in the photon counting regime.

Aloha : L’optique non linéaire et fibrée au service de la haute résolution en astronomie

“…C'est le projet ALOHA (Astronomical Light Optical Hybride Analysis) qui associe interférométrie appliquée à l'imagerie haute résolution, optique non-linéaire et détection en régime de comptage de photons [1,2].…”

Astrophotonics: astronomy and modern optics

“…It is easy to think about potential applications such as conversion of MIR light into telecom wavelengths to exploit the availability of photonic components for signal transport and processing over large distances. This is indeed the basic concept that the project ALOHA aims to test at the CHARA interferometric array (Lehmann et al 2018b). The project aims at enabling MIR interferometric observations by converting MIR photons to the telecom wavelengths by means of a PPLN waveguide and transferring the up-converted light to the beam combiner using hectometric single-mode optical fibers (Lehmann et al 2019).…”

Future of optical-infrared interferometry in Europe

“…Key steps to go for larger arrays and the thermal infrared as a sweet spot for the direct detection of exoplanets and their formation, are the development of larger APD focal plane arrays working in the infrared, and IO-BCs for such wavelengths, the latter being discussed in Labadie et al [8]. Wavelength up-conversion, as discussed in Lehmann et al [9], represents an alternative approach towards interferometric science at thermal wavelengths.…”