Design, motivation, and on-sky tests of an efficient fiber coupling unit for 1-meter class telescopes
Abstract
We present the science motivation, design, and on-sky test data of a high-throughput fiber coupling unit suitable for automated 1-meter class telescopes. The optical and mechanical design of the fiber coupling is detailed and we describe a flexible controller software designed specifically for this unit. The system performance is characterized with a set of numerical simulations, and we present on-sky results that validate the performance of the controller and the expected throughput of the fiber coupling. This unit was designed specifically for the MINERVA array, a robotic observatory consisting of multiple 0.7 m telescopes linked to a single high-resolution stabilized spectrograph for the purpose of exoplanet discovery using high-cadence radial velocimetry. However, this unit could easily be used for general astronomical purposes requiring fiber coupling or precise guiding.
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2055605
Publication Date
2014
Recommended Citation
Bottom, Michael, Philip S. Muirhead, Jonathan J. Swift, Ming Zhao, Paul Gardner, Peter P. Plavchan, Reed L. Riddle et al. "Design, motivation, and on-sky tests of an efficient fiber coupling unit for 1-meter class telescopes." In Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 2014.
