New Materials and Processes for Astronomical Instrumentation

1. New Materials and Processes for Astronomical Instrumentation A proposal for a new JRA in FP7 On behalf and thanks to: The JRA-6 core team….. …. And new friends

2. A Brief summary of JRA6-Achievements JRA6 was dedicated to VPHGs Glass Embedded Brag Filters with line density such as to diffract incoming light at given wavelength and given spectral order.

3. A Brief summary of JRA6-Achievements JRA6 was dedicated to VPHGs Large Dimension devices

4. A Brief summary of JRA6-Achievements JRA6 was dedicated to VPHGs Efficient at UV wavelength

5. A Brief summary of JRA6-Achievements JRA6 was dedicated to VPHGs They can be used in Cryo-IR instruments

6. A Brief summary of JRA6-Achievements JRA6 was dedicated to VPHGs They can be assembled in novel configurations

7. A Brief summary of JRA6-Achievements JRA6 was dedicated to VPHGs They can be made re-writeable with Polymers

8. Else to do on VPHGs ? “Ordinary activity” Enlarge the blaze, Tighten the band Move the peak Instrument-Oriented No Technology to enable No R&D Money Instrument budget WARNING If Instruments needs VPHGs, Instrument money must flow “continuously” to VPHG makers… VPHG industry is extremely fragile… worldwide.

9. Still R&D to do on VPHGs ? There are VPHG configurations that must be enabled before instrument developers can think to use them Pure R&D Worth Paying for it ? Yes - Promising expected performances Yes - To keep-up the fragile VPHG industry Examples:

10. fibers camera Anamorphic collimator Pupil slicer Collimator VPHG Pupil relay mirror TMA Echelle grating Still R&D to do on VPHGs Example: Slanted Fringes Ratio 4:1 along/across dispersion Beam re-composed at Camera by Slanted VPHG Courtesy of ESO

11. Still R&D to do on VPHGs Example: Echellette (Echelle) High ∆n implies good efficiency in higher orders Principle for cross-dispersed devices High order Echelle theoretically possible

12. Still R&D to do on VPHGs Example: Polarimetry S and P behave differently when l/mm increase We tried to get rid of this effect in the past We could try exploit in in the future

13. Still R&D to do on VPHGs Example: VPHG-Filters Transmittance >97% except at selective wavelength, where instead Reflection up to 95%. Raman Rayleigh band suppression OH Suppression LGS based Adaptive Optics

14. Learned along the FP6-JRA6 way Holography A method to record a three-dimensional image of an object by printing a pattern of interference in suitable photosensitive material Any image… not only gratings Materials Astronomical Opto/Mechanics is still largely based on glass and metal There are a lot of light, stiff, elastic, active, etc. etc. materials in use that can be “ported” into Astronomical Instrumentation Step forward – de-specialize and go toward Holography and Materials

15. Holography in Astronomy Lenses We can get single focus with efficiency up to 90%. Very useful technique to produce wide aperture lenses for compact optical systems. CGH Computer Generated Holograms offer unique possibilities to test aspherical optics, both symmetrical and complex free forms optics.

16. CGH • Amplitude-only => Change in transparency • Phase-only => Change in thickness/refractive index • Combined amplitude/phase Would be great to have a Material in which transparency and refractive index could be changed simultaneously Even better if the above changes could be wiped an re-written in real-time Allow interferometers to manufacture their own null-lens at each measure.

17. Materials – Polymers – Photochromic In JRA 6 we dealt with a very specific class of polymers Photochromic Polymers

18. Materials – Polymers – Photochromic In JRA 6 we dealt with a very specific class of polymers Photochromic Polymers

19. Spectra FPM Imaging M97 Photochromic-based Devices Focal Plane Masks Principle: Transparency variation Write with light / Wipe with light / Re-write with light TESTED at ASIAGO EKAR 1.8 mt T-scope ACCESS to T-scopes for Tests ?

20. Photochromic-based Devices VPHGs Principle: n variation Write with light / Wipe with light / Re-write with light Will be tested on a Telescope in JRA-6 ACCESS to T-scopes for Tests ?

21. Materials – Polymers – Photochromic (more) In FP7 Photochromic Solids…… not films…. n1 n1 n2 Gradient Index Lenses and Waveguides

22. Polymers in “Traditional Optics” • Low density materials • Chemical structure can be easily tailored to obtain target properties;thermosetting and thermoplastic • Cheap and easy processes (injection molding, reaction injection molding). • Pieces with high complexity (integrated optics)

23. Du Pont Polymers in “Traditional Optics” Moreover…. • Optical Polymer can be easily A/R coated • Range of refractive index 1.3 – 1.7 (not bad!) (Nitto Denko prototype thermosetting polymer with n = 2.1) • They are unexpectedly transparent at interesting WL Work in progress for the Mid-IR Technology exist – Must be “cleverly” ported

24. Materials – Composites Composites - e.g. CFRP, kevlar, glassfiber, nanotubes – are used in aeronautics because of • Thermal properties

25. Materials – Composites Composites - e.g. CFRP, kevlar, glassfiber, nanotubes – are used in aeronautics because of • Thermal properties • High stiffness vs. low density

26. Materials – Composites Composites - e.g. CFRP, kevlar, glassfiber, nanotubes – are used in aeronautics because of • Thermal properties • High stiffness vs. low density • Reproducibility Molding is cheaper than metallic (lower temperature, cheaper mold material).

27. Materials – Composites Composites - e.g. CFRP, kevlar, glassfiber, nanotubes – are used in aeronautics because of • Thermal properties • High stiffness vs. low density • Reproducibility Known problems, e.g. moisture dependence, part coupling, etc. have today some level of solution. Technolgy is partially enabled and can be “ported” Why composites in Astro-Instrumentation ? • Embedded Active Controls • Tunable Optical Properties

28. Composites – Active Control A smart structure has the capability to respond to an external stimulus, e.g. a load or a shape change. Or and internal “warning”, e.g. damage or failure. Active materials can be embedded in composites to be used as sensor or actuator (Piezolelectric ceramics, elttroreactive polymers, memory alloy, ecc…)

29. Composites – Optical Properties The Chemical composition of the filling Material (Resin, Polymers, Ceramics, Metals) can be tuned to the desired performance. Transparency, homogeneity, Refractive Index Viscosity, Surface Roughness, Coating adhesion Stiff, Reproducible, “Active” Optical Elements

30. FP7 Proposal “JRAs: Enabling Technologies for large facilities” (JKD Mail) 20-21 Oct. 2005 ATC/INAF (KTN) Rome Meeting on: “Challenges in Optics for ELT Instrumentation” Proceeding published in Astronomische Nachrichten • Get rid of Glass and Metal • Reproducibility (multi-instrument. Multi-arm…) • Integrated Opto-Mechanical Functions JRA X Novel Materials and Processes for Optics in Astronomical Instrumentation

31. Management and Organization Multinational /Multipartner Industry & Institutes Activity coordinated by INAF WP1 Management Coordination reporting monitoring WP2 Enhanced use of Traditional VPHGs Echelle, slanted, filters, polarimeters WP3 Holographic Lenses and CGH Fresnel, Holo-lenses, CHG for surface control WP4 Polymers for Traditional Optics Polymer refractive and reflective optical components WP5 Polymers with functional properties Photchromic and electrochromic based devices WP6 Composite Materials Opticsl and functional composite devices

32. Deliverables FP6 JRA-6 Philosophy: Each Work Package to deliver one or more “science grade” devices Ready for the Instrument developer to be included in her/his design Final deliverables will depend on dimension and duration

33. Dimension and Duration 2 – 4 M€ (50% EU 50% partners) 4-5-(7) years duration Enebling Tech. Devices Studies. Optim. 2010 2012 2013 2008 Well in agreement with most accredited ELT Instrumentation Schedules

34. . . . . The Team Polymers Core JRA-6 Team Holography Composites INAF ( ) Composites POLI-MI Polymers ATHOL-CSL Polymers IAC ESO

35. Networking ? JRA-6 was part of KTN JRA had autonomy of decision Reporting directly to the project Board Contributing bottom-up to a larger view Continuing this Scheme is fine Somebody says KTN is too large We would welcome more focused networks Material Network, Optics Network We could even accept to coordinate one In the above “autonomy” spirit

36. Key Technology “Ruling entity” Suggested by Colin Cunningham this morning if you can’t stop any activity you can’t optimize the return for the money you spend. “stop” is dangerous if you have industry in the loop Industry “interest” is based on budget envelope you offer them Either small less-effective collaborations… Most of the money within the first year budget….. ….. Anyway misused. Agile re-scoping inside the JRA operated by the JRA management in agreement with the Board

37. Cont. B Cont. C Cont. D Cont. A Fin Fin Fin Fin FP6 Cash flow tree EC coordinator Main Contractor Every now and than an unpredictable amount of cash is flown to your partners who, if they wish, use it in JRA related activities…