Florian Briegel

MICADO: first light imager for the E-ELT

MICADO will equip the E-ELT with a first light capability for diffraction limited imaging at near-infrared wavelengths. The instrument’s observing modes focus on various flavours of imaging, including astrometric, high contrast, and time resolved. There is also a single object spectroscopic mode optimised for wavelength coverage at moderately high resolution. This contribution provides an overview of the key functionality of the instrument, outlining the scientific rationale for its observing modes. The interface between MICADO and the adaptive optics system MAORY that feeds it is summarised. The design of the instrument is discussed, focusing on the optics and mechanisms inside the cryostat, together with a brief overview of the other key sub-systems.MICADO will be the first-light wide-field imager for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) and will provide difiraction limited imaging (7mas at 1.2mm) over a ~53 arcsecond field of view. In order to support various consortium activities we have developed a first version of SimCADO: an instrument simulator for MICADO. SimCADO uses the results of the detailed simulation efforts conducted for each of the separate consortium-internal work packages in order to generate a model of the optical path from source to detector readout. SimCADO is thus a tool to provide scientific context to both the science and instrument development teams who are ultimately responsible for the final design and future capabilities of the MICADO instrument. Here we present an overview of the inner workings of SimCADO and outline our plan for its further development.

First laboratory results with the LINC-NIRVANA high layer wavefront sensor

In the field of adaptive optics, multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) can greatly increase the size of the corrected field of view (FoV) and also extend sky coverage. By applying layer oriented MCAO (LO-MCAO) [4], together with multiple guide stars (up to 20) and pyramid wavefront sensors [7], LINC-NIRVANA (L-N for short) [1] will provide two AO-corrected beams to a Fizeau interferometer to achieve 10 milliarcsecond angular resolution on the Large Binocular Telescope. This paper presents first laboratory results of the AO performance achieved with the high layer wavefront sensor (HWS). This sensor, together with its associated deformable mirror (a Xinetics-349), is being operated in one of the L-N laboratories. AO reference stars, spread across a 2 arc-minute FoV and with aberrations resulting from turbulence introduced at specific layers in the atmosphere, are simulated in this lab environment. This is achieved with the Multi-Atmosphere Phase screen and Stars (MAPS) [2] unit. From the wavefront data, the approximate residual wavefront error after correction has been calculated for different turbulent layer altitudes and wind speeds. Using a somewhat undersampled CCD, the FWHM of stars in the nearly 2 arc-minute FoV has also been measured. These test results demonstrate that the high layer wavefront sensor of LINC-NIRVANA will be able to achieve uniform AO correction across a large FoV.

The MCAO wavefront sensing system of LINC-NIRVANA: status report

LINC-NIRVANA is an infrared camera that will work in Fizeau interferometric way at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The two beams that will be combined in the camera are corrected by an MCAO system, aiming to cancel the turbulence in a scientific field of view of 2 arcminutes. The MCAO wavefront sensors will be two for each arm, with the task to sense the atmosphere at two different altitudes (the ground one and a second height variable between a few kilometers and a maximum of 15 kilometers). The first wavefront sensor, namely the Ground layer Wavefront sensor (GWS), will drive the secondary adaptive mirror of LBT, while the second wavefront sensor, namely the Mid High layer Wavefront Sensor (MHWS) will drive a commercial deformable mirror which will also have the possibility to be conjugated to the same altitude of the correspondent wavefront sensor. The entire system is of course duplicated for the two telescopes, and is based on the Multiple Field of View (MFoV) Layer Oriented (LO) technique, having thus different FoV to select the suitable references for the two wavefront sensor: the GWS will use the light of an annular field of view from 2 to 6 arcminutes, while the MHWS will use the central 2 arcminutes part of the FoV. After LINC-NIRVANA has accomplished the final design review, we describe the MFoV wavefront sensing system together with its current status.

LINC-NIRVANA Pathfinder: testing the next generation of wave front sensors at LBT

LINC-NIRVANA will employ four wave front sensors to realize multi-conjugate correction on both arms of a Fizeau interferometer for LBT. Of these, one of the two ground-layer wave front sensors, together with its infrared test camera, comprise a stand-alone test platform for LINC-NIRVANA. Pathfinder is a testbed for full LINC-NIRVANA intended to identify potential interface problems early in the game, thus reducing both technical, and schedule, risk. Pathfinder will combine light from multiple guide stars, with a pyramid sensor dedicated to each star, to achieve ground-layer AO correction via an adaptive secondary: the 672-actuator thin shell at the LBT. The ability to achieve sky coverage by optically coadding light from multiple stars has been previously demonstrated; and the ability to achieve correction with an adaptive secondary has also been previously demonstrated. Pathfinder will be the first system at LBT to combine both of these capabilities. Since reporting our progress at A04ELT2, we have advanced the project in three key areas: definition of specific goals for Pathfinder tests at LBT, more detail in the software design and planning, and calibration. We report on our progress and future plans in these three areas, and on the project overall.

Commissioning multi-conjugate adaptive optics with LINC-NIRVANA on LBT

This paper reports on early commissioning of LINC-NIRVANA (LN), an innovative Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) system for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). LN uses two, parallel MCAO systems, each of which corrects turbulence at two atmospheric layers, to deliver near diffraction-limited imagery over a two-arcminute field of view. We summarize LN’s approach to MCAO and give an update on commissioning, including the achievement of First Light in April 2018. This is followed by a discussion of challenges that arise from our particular type of MCAO and the solutions implemented. We conclude with a brief look forward to the remainder of commissioning and future upgrades.

Calibrating the interaction matrix for the LINC-NIRVANA high layer wavefront sensor

LINC-NIRVANA is a near-infrared Fizeau interferometric imager that will operate at the Large Binocular Telescope. In preparation for the commissioning of this instrument, we conducted experiments for calibrating the high-layer wavefront sensor of the layer-oriented multi-conjugate adaptive optics system. For calibrating the multi-pyramid wavefront sensor, four light sources were used to simulate guide stars. Using this setup, we developed the push-pull method for calibrating the interaction matrix. The benefits of this method over the traditional push-only method are quantified, and also the effects of varying the number of push-pull frames over which aberrations are averaged is reported. Finally, we discuss a method for measuring mis-conjugation between the deformable mirror and the wavefront sensor, and the proper positioning of the wavefront sensor detector with respect to the four pupil positions.

LINC-NIRVANA: how to get a 23-m wavefront nearly flat

On the way to the Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT) the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) is an intermediate step. The two 8.4m mirrors create a masked aperture of 23m. LINC-NIRVANA is an instrument taking advantage of this opportunity. It will get, by means of Multi-Conjugated Adaptive Optics (MCAO), a moderate Strehl Ratio over a 2 arcmin field of view, which is used for Fizeau (imaging) interferometry in J,H and K. Several MCAO concepts, which are proposed for ELTs, will be proven with this instrument. Studies of sub-systems are done in the laboratory and the option to test them on sky are kept open. We will show the implementation of the MCAO concepts and control aspects of the instrument and present the road map to the final installation at LBT. Major milestones of LINC-NIRVANA, like preliminary design review or final design review are already done or in preparation. LINC-NIRVANA is one of the few MCAO instruments in the world which will see first light and go into operation within the next years.

Ground layer correction: the heart of LINC-NIRVANA

The delivered image quality of ground-based telescopes depends greatly on atmospheric turbulence. At every observatory, the majority of the turbulence (up to 60-80% of the total) occurs in the ground layer of the atmosphere, that is, the first few hundred meters above the telescope pupil. Correction of these perturbations can, therefore, greatly increase the quality of the image. We use Ground-layer Wavefront Sensors (GWSs) to sense the ground layer turbulence for the LINC-NIRVANA (LN) instrument, which is in its final integration phase before shipment to the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) on Mt. Graham in Arizona.19 LN is an infrared Fizeau interferometer, equipped with an advanced Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) module, capable of delivering images with a spatial resolution equivalent to that of a ~23m diameter telescope. It exploits the Layer-Oriented, Multiple Field of View, MCAO approach3 and uses only natural guide stars for the correction. The GWS has more than 100 degrees of freedom. There are opto-mechanical complexities at the level of sub- systems, the GWS as a whole, and at the interface with the telescope. Also, there is a very stringent requirement on the superposition of the pupils on the detector. All these conditions make the alignment of the GWS very demanding and crucial. In this paper, we discuss the alignment and integration of the left-eye GWS of LN and detail the various tests done in the lab at INAF-Padova to verify proper system operation and performance.

Installation and commissioning of the LINC-NIRVANA near-infrared MCAO imager on LBT

This paper reports on the installation and initial commissioning of LINC-NIRVANA (LN), an innovative high resolution, near-infrared imager for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). We present the delicate and difficult installation procedure, the culmination of a re-integration campaign that was in full swing at the last SPIE meeting. We also provide an update on the ongoing commissioning campaigns, including our recent achievement of First Light. Finally, we discuss lessons learned from the shipment and installation of a large complex instrument.

MCAO with LINC-NIRVANA at LBT: preparing for first light

LINC-NIRVANA is an innovative, high-resolution, near-infrared imager for the Large Binocular Telescope. Its Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics system uses natural guide-stars and the layer-oriented, multiple-field of view approach for high sky coverage and eventual interferometric beam combination. We describe LINC-NIRVANA’s particular flavour of MCAO and its associated challenges, and report on final lab integration and system level testing. LINC-NIRVANA is currently at the telescope undergoing final alignment and tests before First Light late this fall.