Fiber developments at the Anglo-Australian Observatory for SPIRAL and AUSTRALIS

David Lee; Keith Taylor

doi:10.1117/12.395481

Translator Disclaimer

16 August 2000 Fiber developments at the Anglo-Australian Observatory for SPIRAL and AUSTRALIS

David Lee, Keith Taylor

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4008, Optical and IR Telescope Instrumentation and Detectors; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.395481
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2000, Munich, Germany

Abstract

In this paper we discuss some of the recent developments with optical fibers at the Anglo-Australian Observatory. Firstly we will describe the upgrade to the SPIRAL integral field spectrograph for the Anglo-Australian Telescope. SPIRAL-B uses a crossed cylindrical microlens array to feed 512 optical fibers at F/5.5 providing a field of view of 22 by 11 arcseconds with 0.7 arcsecond spatial sampling. The performance of the fiber bundle, microlens array, and construction techniques will be described. We will also discus the development of prototype optical fiber switchyard as part of the AUSTRALIS concept study. The switchyard provides an 'optical bread' in the fiber, between the telescope and spectrograph, which allows coupling between fibers of different diameters and focal rations. A dichroic can also be incorporated into the switchyard to allow both optical and IR spectrographs to be fed simultaneously. Switchyards therefore provide much greater observing flexibility by increasing the number of possible instrument configurations. We will briefly discuss the merits of fiber switchyards and present the results of FRD and transmission test performed in the laboratory.

Citation Download Citation

David Lee and Keith Taylor "Fiber developments at the Anglo-Australian Observatory for SPIRAL and AUSTRALIS", Proc. SPIE 4008, Optical and IR Telescope Instrumentation and Detectors, (16 August 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.395481

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE