The RHEA single-mode spectrograph

Feger, Tobias; Schwab, Christian; Tiong, Blaise C. Kuo; Ireland, Michael; Rains, Adam D.; Coutts, David W.

doi:10.1117/12.2313170

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Recently, work at Subaru and the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) has demonstrated coupling efficiency into single-mode fibers up to 50% at near-infrared wavelengths using modern, sophisticated AO systems (Bechter et al 2016, Jovanovic, Cvetojevic, et al 2016, Jovanovic et al 2017). In the seeing-limited regime, the RHEA project has demonstrated an inexpensive, highresolution single-mode fiber spectrometer on a small telescope (Bento et al 2016, Feger et al 2018.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seeing-limited Coupling of Starlight into Single-mode Fiber with a Small Telescope

Sliski¹,

Blake²,

Eastman³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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An optical fiber link to a telescope provides many advantages for spectrometers designed to detect and characterize extrasolar planets through precise radial velocity (PRV) measurements. In the seeing-limited regime, a multi-mode fiber is typically used so that a significant amount of starlight may be captured. In the near-diffractionlimited case, either with an adaptive optics system or with a small telescope at an excellent site, efficiently coupling starlight into a much smaller, single-mode fiber may be possible. In general, a spectrometer designed for single-mode fiber input will be substantially less costly than one designed for multi-mode fiber input. We describe the results of tests coupling starlight from a 70 cm telescope at Mt. Hopkins, Arizona into the single-mode fiber of the MINERVA-Red spectrometer at a wavelength of ∼850 nm using a low-speed tip/tilt image stabilization system comprising all commercial, off-the-shelf components. We find that approximately 0.5% of the available starlight is coupled into the single-mode fiber under seeing conditions typical for observatories hosting small telescopes, which is close to the theoretical expectation. We discuss scientific opportunities for small telescopes paired with inexpensive, high-resolution spectrometers, as well as upgrade paths that should significantly increase the coupling efficiency for the MINERVA-Red system.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seeing-limited Coupling of Starlight into Single-mode Fiber with a Small Telescope

Sliski¹,

Blake²,

Eastman³

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Recently, work at Subaru and the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) has demonstrated coupling efficiency into single‐mode fibers up to

50\%

at near‐infrared wavelengths using modern, sophisticated AO systems (Bechter et al 2016; Jovanovic et al 2016b; Jovanovic et al 2017). In the seeing‐limited regime, the RHEA project has demonstrated an inexpensive, high‐resolution single‐mode fiber spectrometer on a small telescope (Bento et al 2016; Feger et al 2016; Feger et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seeing the limited coupling of starlight into single‐mode fiber with a small telescope

et al. 2023

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An optical fiber link to a telescope provides many advantages for spectrometers designed to detect and characterize extrasolar planets through precise radial velocity measurements. In the seeing‐limited regime, a multi‐mode fiber is typically used so that a significant amount of starlight may be captured. In the near‐diffraction‐limited case, either with an adaptive optics system or with a small telescope at an excellent site, efficiently coupling starlight into a much smaller, single‐mode fiber may be possible. In general, a spectrometer designed for single‐mode fiber input will be substantially less costly than one designed for multi‐mode fiber input. We describe the results of tests coupling starlight from a 70 cm telescope at Mt. Hopkins, Arizona into the single‐mode fiber of the MINERVA‐Red spectrometer at a wavelength of ∼$$ \sim $$850 nm using a low‐speed tip/tilt image stabilization system comprising all commercial, off‐the‐shelf components. We find that approximately 0.5%$$ \% $$ of the available starlight is coupled into the single‐mode fiber under seeing conditions typical for observatories hosting small telescopes, which is close to the theoretical expectation. We discuss scientific opportunities for small telescopes paired with inexpensive, high‐resolution spectrometers, as well as upgrade paths that should significantly increase the coupling efficiency for the MINERVA‐Red system.

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Final design and on-sky testing of the iLocater SX acquisition camera: broad-band single-mode fibre coupling

Crass

Bechter

Sands

et al. 2020

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Enabling efficient injection of light into single-mode fibers (SMFs) is a key requirement in realizing diffraction-limited astronomical spectroscopy on ground-based telescopes. SMF-fed spectrographs, facilitated by the use of adaptive optics (AO), offer distinct advantages over comparable seeing-limited designs, including higher spectral resolution within a compact and stable instrument volume, and a telescope independent spectrograph design. iLocater is an extremely precise radial velocity (EPRV) spectrograph being built for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). We have designed and built the front-end fiber injection system, or acquisition camera, for the SX (left) primary mirror of the LBT. The instrument was installed in 2019 and underwent on-sky commissioning and performance assessment. In this paper, we present the instrument requirements, acquisition camera design, as well as results from first-light measurements. Broadband single-mode fiber coupling in excess of 35% (absolute) in the near-infrared (0.97-1.31μm) was achieved across a range of target magnitudes, spectral types, and observing conditions. Successful demonstration of on-sky performance represents both a major milestone in the development of iLocater and in making efficient ground-based SMF-fed astronomical instruments a reality.

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The RHEA single-mode spectrograph

Cited by 3 publications

References 1 publication

Seeing-limited Coupling of Starlight into Single-mode Fiber with a Small Telescope

Seeing-limited Coupling of Starlight into Single-mode Fiber with a Small Telescope

Seeing the limited coupling of starlight into single‐mode fiber with a small telescope

Final design and on-sky testing of the iLocater SX acquisition camera: broad-band single-mode fibre coupling

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