Development and focal ratio degradation optimisation of integral field units on Hector

摘要

New optical fibre spectroscopic imaging devices for astronomy are being developed with very high throughputand excellent optical performance. Hector is a new generation multi-object Integral Field Spectroscopy (IFS)instrument that will utilise these high-performance fibre imaging devices called hexabundles". They are beingdeveloped in the Sydney Astrophotonic Instrumentation Laboratories (SAIL) at the University of Sydney. Hectoris planned to be using these hexabundles on-sky by 2020 to carry out one of the world largest IFS galaxysurveys at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT). The hexabundles contain up to 169 multi-mode CeramoptecWF103/123um fibres per device, subtending a 26 arcseconds view with a spectrum at each fibre position for eachgalaxy. For astronomical instruments, optical fibres give significant exibility in cofiguring a focal plane, butfocal ratio degradation (FRD) can affect the performance of the optical bres and directly inuence the ffciencyof any galaxy survey observed. Breakthroughs in glass bre processing at SAIL have enabled hexabundles withminimal FRD - and therefore optimal performance. We will present the new developments in the SAIL labs andthe resulting performance of new hexabundle devices for Hector and for other future applications.