Miniaturized Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors for starbugs

Goodwin, Michael; Richards, Samuel N.; Zheng, Rong; Lawrence, Jon; Leon-Saval, Sergio G.; Argyros, Alexander; Alcalde, Belen

doi:10.1117/12.2055014

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The use of polymer imaging bundles becomes an attractive solution to distributed wavefront sensors, where each bundle has miniature Shack-Hartmann fore-optics, relaying the wavefront information to a high frame rate camera situated off the focal plane. These miniature Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors (mini-SHWFS; Goodwin et al 2014) were demonstrated on the 3.9 m AAT in December 2015 (see Figure 8; a full description of these devices is provided by Goodwin et al in preparation).…”

Section: Multi-object Wavefront Sensingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance of a Novel PMMA Polymer Imaging Bundle for Field Acquisition and Wavefront Sensing

Richards¹,

Leon-Saval²,

Goodwin³

et al. 2017

Publ. Astron. Soc. Aust.

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Imaging bundles provide a convenient way to translate a spatially coherent image, yet conventional imaging bundles made from silica fibre optics typically remain expensive with large losses due to poor filling factors (∼ 40%). We present the characterisation of a novel polymer imaging bundle made from poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) that is considerably cheaper and a better alternative to silica imaging bundles over short distances (∼ 1 m; from the middle to the edge of a telescope's focal plane). The large increase in filling factor (92% for the polymer imaging bundle) outweighs the large increase in optical attenuation from using PMMA (1 dB/m) instead of silica (10 −3 dB/m). We present and discuss current and possible future multiobject applications of the polymer imaging bundle in the context of astronomical instrumentation including: field acquisition, guiding, wavefront sensing, narrow-band imaging, aperture masking, and speckle imaging. The use of PMMA limits its use in low light applications (e.g. imaging of galaxies), however it is possible to fabricate polymer imaging bundles from a range of polymers that are better suited to the desired science.

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Section: Multi-object Wavefront Sensingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance of a Novel PMMA Polymer Imaging Bundle for Field Acquisition and Wavefront Sensing

Richards¹,

Leon-Saval²,

Goodwin³

et al. 2017

Publ. Astron. Soc. Aust.

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“…The ability to position multiple miniaturised wavefront sensors precisely over a large focal surface is advantageous to understand the localized wavefront distortions through the atmosphere and telescope. The AAO has prototyped a compact and lightweight Shack-Hartmann wavefront-sensor that fits into a standard Starbug robot [11]. Each sensor makes use of a polymer fibre bundle to relay an image produced by a microlens array placed at the telescope focal plane in the Starbug to a re-imaging camera mounted elsewhere.…”

Section: Wavefront Sensing Starbugsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…MANIFEST is a robotic fibre positioning system designed for the Giant Magellan Telescope. The MANIFEST instrument concept [1][2][3] consists of hundreds of individual robots, called Starbugs [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11], which are moved in parallel across the full GMT 20 arcmin field-of-view to very high precision using a closed-loop metrology system. The Starbugs are adhered via vacuum force to a glass field plate located at the GMT focal plane.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The MANIFEST prototyping design study

et al. 2016

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MANIFEST is a facility multi-object fibre system for the Giant Magellan Telescope, which uses 'Starbug' fibre positioning robots. MANIFEST, when coupled to the telescope's planned seeing-limited instruments, GMACS, and G-CLEF, offers access to: larger fields of view; higher multiplex gains; versatile reformatting of the focal plane via IFUs; image-slicers; and in some cases higher spatial and spectral resolution. The Prototyping Design Study phase for MANIFEST, nearing completion, has focused on developing a working prototype of a Starbugs system, called TAIPAN, for the UK Schmidt Telescope, which will conduct a stellar and galaxy survey of the Southern sky. The Prototyping Design Study has also included work on the GMT instrument interfaces. In this paper, we outline the instrument design features of TAIPAN, highlight the modifications that will be necessary for the MANIFEST implementation, and provide an update on the MANIFEST/instrument interfaces.

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“…In an attempt to solve these challenges of focal plane positioning of multiple wavefront correction devices for ELTs for MOAO, the Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO) has been developing the new concept of Hoverboards. The AAO has already reported on the concept of miniature wavefront sensors (WFS) for ELTs or Starbug WFS [3,10], see Figure 2. Hoverboards are the next generation robotic positioners that can move much heavier payloads than Starbugs [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hoverboard applications for the GMT include MOAO, e.g. a possible upgrade option for MANIFEST[3,7,8].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hoverboards: smart focal plane positioners for adaptive optics ELTs

Goodwin

Chapagain

Bakovic

et al. 2017

Proceedings of the Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes 5

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The ability to simultaneously position 'large' payloads over the focal surface overcomes some of the potential barriers faced by ELTs in implementing multi-object adaptive optics. The Australian Astronomical Observatory is prototyping a new positioner capable of moving larger payloads than a typical Starbug (fiber positioners proposed for GMT). These devices, called Hoverboards, are currently capable of positioning payloads up to 3 kg over the focal surface. Hoverboards are platforms that utilize air pressure and vacuum forces to reposition with either two or more Starbugs, amplified piezo-actuators or stepper motors. Hoverboards facilitate fast field configuration times with simultaneous positioning and best utilization of the focal-plane with diversified payloads enabling multi-object surveys. Hoverboards could conceptually position compact deformable mirrors over the focal surface for implementing multi-object adaptive optics or as an imager for ground-layer adaptive optics. We report on the development of a low-cost Hoverboards prototype suitable for flat and curved focal-plane surfaces for the GMT and E-ELT.

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Miniaturized Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors for starbugs

Cited by 5 publications

References 14 publications

Performance of a Novel PMMA Polymer Imaging Bundle for Field Acquisition and Wavefront Sensing

Performance of a Novel PMMA Polymer Imaging Bundle for Field Acquisition and Wavefront Sensing

The MANIFEST prototyping design study

Hoverboards: smart focal plane positioners for adaptive optics ELTs

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