Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics
Astronomy Technology Research Group,
Victoria
Review of Activities for FY 2006/07
and Outlook for FY 2007/08
February 2007
ASTRONOMY TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP – VICTORIA
1. Highlights ...........................................................................................................4
Group Leader .............................................................................................................................. 4
ALMA Band 3 ............................................................................................................................ 4
Gemini GPI Instrument ............................................................................................................... 4
TMT ............................................................................................................................................ 4
2. Major Projects ...................................................................................................5
ALMA Band 3 ............................................................................................................................ 5
Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) ....................................................................................................... 5
TMT Project Support .................................................................................................................. 5
TMT Narrow Field Infra-Red Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS) ........................................ 6
TMT Wide Field Optical Spectrograph (WFOS) ....................................................................... 6
3. Research Activities ............................................................................................7
Millimetre Instrumentation Research ......................................................................................... 7
Adaptive Optics Research ........................................................................................................... 7
Victoria Open Loop Testbed (VOLT) ........................................................................................ 7
TMT Analytical PSF Modeling .................................................................................................. 7
MEMS DM Controller ................................................................................................................ 7
4. Minor Projects ...................................................................................................8
CARMA Mixers.......................................................................................................................... 8
TMT Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph (IRMOS) MOAO system ........................................ 8
Gemini FLAMINGOS-2 OIWFS ............................................................................................... 8
Gemini FLAMINGOS-2 Tunable Filters (F2T2) ....................................................................... 8
Gemini ALTAIR Laser Guide Star (LGS).................................................................................. 8
Gemini ALTAIR Field Lens ....................................................................................................... 8
High-speed Acquisition Camera (HIAC).................................................................................... 9
Inuksuk Arctic Site Testing ........................................................................................................ 9
MDA RapidEYE ......................................................................................................................... 9
James Webb Space Telescope FGS ............................................................................................ 9
Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) .................................................................................... 9
5. Business Development and Partnerships ......................................................10
Business Development Activity................................................................................................ 10
Corporate Relationships ............................................................................................................ 10
6. University Collaborations ...............................................................................11
University of Victoria ............................................................................................................... 11
Camosun College ...................................................................................................................... 11
University of British Columbia................................................................................................. 11
Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal ............................................................................................. 11
Université de Montréal ............................................................................................................. 11
University of Toronto ............................................................................................................... 11
University of Florida ................................................................................................................. 11
University of Virginia ............................................................................................................... 12
Université de Nice (France) ...................................................................................................... 12
National Taiwan University ...................................................................................................... 12
7. Staff and Expertise ..........................................................................................13
8. Future Directions .............................................................................................16
Fostering Canadian University Instrumentation ....................................................................... 16
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
2
Fostering Canadian Industry ..................................................................................................... 16
Potential New Projects for 2007/08 .......................................................................................... 16
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
3
1. Highlights
Group Leader
In the last report, replacing the Group Leader was identified as a major issue. This has recently been
resolved with the appointment of one of the senior engineers, David Loop, as Group Leader of the ATRGV, and the appointment of Luc Simard as a Science Officer in the ATRG-V. David Crampton also remains
attached to the ATRG-V as Chief Science Officer.
David Loop joined the ATRG-V in March 2005 as a Systems Engineer with an extensive record of
technology contributions, mostly in electronics and radio frequency engineering across a broad range of
technologies and industry sectors. He has contributed to virtually all of the major projects undertaken by
the group, including; ALMA Band 3, F2T2, GPI, the TMT Enclosure, NFIRAOS, and WFOS. David also
has extensive experience in the management of technical teams and it is already apparent that his
expertise will enable the group to continue their leadership in astronomical technology.
ALMA Band 3
The first preproduction Band 3 cartridge was delivered to the ALMA Front End Integration Center (FEIC)
in Charlottesville VA in October 2006. The cartridge is fully functional and meets all the ALMA technical
requirements. The ownership of the cartridge was transferred to NRAO in December 2006. The
acceptance review of the second cartridge was held on January 18, 2007, and it has also been accepted
by the ALMA Front End Integrated Project Team (FE IPT). It will be shipped to the FEIC in February
2007. The delivery of eight preproduction cartridges will be completed by December 2007.
Technology transfer of the cryogenic low noise amplifiers (LNA) to Nanowave Technologies has been
completed. A contract was awarded to Nanowave for the production of 300 LNAs for the Band 3
production cartridges. The commercialization of the LNA technology has been very successful. Since
the granting of the license agreement to Nanowave in October 2005, two amplifiers were delivered to
CEA Saclay (France), and in December 2006 Nanowave received a confirmed order from the Combined
Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) to supply cryogenic IF amplifiers for their 100
GHz receivers.
Gemini GPI Instrument
The preliminary design of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) started in earnest in June 2006. This major
Gemini Aspen instrument project is a collaboration between the ATRG-V, the Lawrence Livermore
National Labs, the Center for Adaptive Optics at the University of California Santa Cruz, the University of
California Los Angeles, the American Museum of Natural History, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
as well as researchers from Université de Montréal, University of California Berkeley, and INO.
ATRG-V is responsible for the design of the opto-mechanical bench, the overall structure, Gemini
interfaces and handling, the high level software, and is co-responsible for the real time control algorithms.
This represents the largest work scope of all the partners. In January 2007, Les Saddlemyer from the
ATRG-V has also been asked to assume the responsibility of Systems Engineer for the whole project. At
the time of writing (January 2007), the project is proceeding very well, and is on track for its Preliminary
Design Review scheduled in late May 2007.
TMT
ATRG-V designs and studies of NFIRAOS (Narrow Field Infrared AO system), WFOS (Wide Field Optical
Spectrograph), and IRMOS (IR Multi-Object Spectrograph) all received excellent reviews by international
experts during the TMT Conceptual Design Review. ATRG-V cost studies of NFIRAOS and WFOS also
received excellent reviews during the TMT Cost Review, and the TMT Science Advisory Committee
continues to rank NFIRAOS and WFOS highly in the first light instrument suite.
HIA staff have been selected to play major leading roles in the TMT project: David Crampton continues as
TMT Instrumentation Manager with assistance from Luc Simard, Kei Szeto was appointed TMT
Telescope Structure group leader, and Scott Roberts was appointed TMT Deputy Systems Engineer.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
4
2. Major Projects
ALMA Band 3
Project Manager: Keith Yeung
Project Engineer: Stéphane Claude
Work continues on the development of the Band 3 receivers, a critical element of the multi-national
Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) Radio Telescope project. ATRG-V’s involvement will culminate
with the delivery of 62 highly sensitive receivers to ALMA. In 2007, the ATRG-V will continue to fabricate
Band 3 preproduction cartridges. The delivery of the eight preproduction cartridges is expected to be
completed in December 2007. A manufacturing plan for the Band 3 production cartridges was developed
in consultation with Canadian industry. According to this plan, a major portion of the production work will
be outsourced to industry, including materials planning and procurement, fabrication of cryogenic low
noise amplifiers, construction of mixer assemblies and SIS wafer qualifications, and mixer and cartridge
testing. The first production contract was awarded to Nanowave Technologies for the production of 300
cryogenic LNAs. Several other industrial contracts for the mixer construction and wafer qualifications,
and materials procurement will be issued in 2007.
Gemini Planet Imager (GPI)
Project Leader: Les Saddlemyer
Project Co-P.I.: Jean Pierre Véran
The preliminary design of the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) started in earnest in June 2006. GPI is an
extremely ambitious instrument aimed at imaging extra-solar planets (detection and characterization). It
is made of four major sub-systems: a very high order (extreme) adaptive optics system, a coronagraph,
an integral field spectrograph, and an interferometric calibration unit able to measure residual wave-front
errors in the science band at sub-nanometer levels. This major project is a collaboration between the
ATRG-V, the Lawrence Livermore National Labs, the Center for Adaptive Optics at the University of
California Santa Cruz, the University of California Los Angeles, the American Museum of Natural History
and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as researchers from Université de Montréal, University of
California Berkeley, and INO. ATRG-V is responsible for the design of the opto-mechanical bench, the
overall structure, Gemini interfaces and handling, the high level software, and is co-responsible for
developing the real time control algorithms. This represents the largest work scope of all the partners. In
January 2007, Les Saddlemyer from the ATRG-V has also been asked to assume the responsibility of
Systems Engineer for the whole project. At the time of writing (January 2007), the project is proceeding
very well, and is on track for its Preliminary Design Review scheduled in late May 2007.
TMT Project Support
Project Leader: Scott Roberts
TMT Instrumentation Manager: David Crampton
TMT Deputy System Engineer : Scott Roberts
TMT Telescope Structure Manager: Kei Szeto
All of the TMT instrumentation activity continues to be led by David Crampton, supported by Luc Simard
and other members of the ATRG-V. Competitive feasibility studies of all of the planned TMT instruments
were carried out and reviewed by international panels of experts in March 2006. Working with the TMT
Science Advisory Committee (SAC), these were all synthesized and presented at the TMT Conceptual
Design Review in May 2006, and detailed plans and costs for all instrumentation activity during both the
construction and operations phases passed review in September 2006. Work is continuing on
preparation of detailed systems engineering requirements and plans for the TMT Construction Proposal.
ATRG-V has participated in TMT Systems Engineering tasks throughout the last year. After the cost
review in September 2006, HIA took a leading role in re-scoping the observatory to meet the $700 M USD
cost target. This effort focused on the enclosure, telescope structure, Nasmyth platforms and
instrumentation layout. ATRG-V staff are now assisting with a variety of system engineering tasks in
support of the upcoming construction review; optical modeling, analytical support, error budgets, and
requirements.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
5
In November 2006, Scott Roberts took on the role of TMT Deputy Systems Engineer. This role involves
developing system wide requirements for the observatory, and managing the development of the
construction proposal review document by June 2007.
Kei Szeto has been appointed to be the TMT Telescope Structure group leader by the TMT Project Office
and given the responsibilities to lead the full range of engineering work, technical and management, for
the telescope structure system during the design and development phase. This is a collaborative
interface between AMEC Dynamic Structures and the TMT project in the form of the work package
manager who defines the technical contents, schedule and budget of AMEC work on the telescope
structure system.
TMT Narrow Field Infra-Red Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS)
Project leader: Glen Herriot
HIA Project Scientist: Jean Pierre Véran
The ATRG-V successfully completed a Conceptual Design Study and detailed costing for NFIRAOS, the
facility adaptive optics system for TMT, which will feed up to three client astronomical instruments. The
design study included opto-mechanical and operating concepts, together with detailed performance
simulations, analyses and error budgets. The work was praised by international reviewers at the TMT
instrument and AO review in March 2006, at the TMT Conceptual Design Review in May 2006, and at the
TMT Cost Review in September 2006. It is anticipated that the NFIRAOS design work will recommence
in 2007, led by the ATRG-V team. As well, the NFIRAOS team served on review committees for key TMT
AO components such as tip-tilt platforms, and real time computers. The ATRG-V NFIRAOS team
continues to work closely with the University of Victoria AO Laboratory in areas of adaptive optics control
system modeling, table-top experiments, and evaluation of prototype components for NFIRAOS, such as
deformable mirrors.
TMT Wide Field Optical Spectrograph (WFOS)
Project leader: Scott Roberts
The ATRG-V, together with an international science team led by Roberto Abraham at the University of
Toronto, completed a feasibility study of WFOS with a 4 barrel design that was able to meet all of the
Science Requirements. Following a successful international review in March 2006, the design was
featured again at the TMT Conceptual Design Review in May 2006, and a reduced (two barrel, mostly for
reasons of cost) version was presented at the TMT Cost Review in September 2006. The TMT SAC has
consistently recommended that WFOS is one of their highest priority instruments for TMT first light and so
it is anticipated that the WFOS design work will recommence in 2007, led by the ATRG-V team.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
6
3. Research Activities
Millimetre Instrumentation Research
Project Leader: Stéphane Claude
The ATRG-V Millimetre Instrumentation Team currently has three radio engineers, three technologists
and three graduate students (two PhDs and one Master). The Band 3 project is the main activity of the
team although a significant fraction of the their time is dedicated to research. The team continues to
develop a concept for the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) high frequency receiver (20-30 GHz). This R&D
work is presently carried out in collaboration with University of Victoria and École Polytechnique de
Montréal professors. A planar antenna array prototype has been designed and is been fabricated at
École Polytechnique de Montréal. Also, wide band and low loss transmission line for integrated receiver
design in a focal plane array are currently being investigated. For the ALMA Band 1, low noise amplifier
designs are been investigated (hybrid design or MMIC), and a test set for prototype amplifiers is currently
being designed. Results of these research activities have been presented at major international
conferences.
Adaptive Optics Research
Project Leader: Jean-Pierre Véran
The ATRG-V Adaptive Optics Team currently has two post-docs, one PhD student (plus one who finished
during the summer 2006) and one Master’s student. They spend a significant fraction of their time on
research. Research activities support our current TMT and Gemini projects and include advanced
modeling of the performance of AO system, development of advanced AO control algorithms, AO concept
demonstration (see VOLT) as well as astronomy with adaptive optics. Results of these research activities
have been presented in major international conferences and published in peer-review journals.
Victoria Open Loop Testbed (VOLT)
Project Leader: David Andersen
ATRG-V, in collaboration with the University of Victoria AO Laboratory, is leading a research and
development effort to demonstrate open loop adaptive optics on-sky in 2007. As identified in our team’s
TMT IRMOS feasibility study, open loop adaptive optics, in which the turbulent wavefront is sensed and
corrected without benefit of feedback, is the greatest risk in building a Multi-Object Adaptive Optics
(MOAO) instrument. We will use VOLT to clearly identify potential limitations of open loop control and
demonstrate its implementation first in the lab and then on the 48 inch DAO telescope, in the first half of
2007. Since the start date in late August 2006, we have completed simulations of the performance,
finalized the optical design, and ordered and received almost all the required hardware. We have just
begun testing the wavefront sensor cameras and deformable mirror.
TMT Analytical PSF Modeling
Project Leader: Laurent Jolissaint
In support of the TMT Systems Engineering effort, the ATRG-V has developed a comprehensive Matlabbased analytical tool (called OPTICA) that computes the effects of errors on the primary, secondary and
tertiary mirrors on the PSF delivered by TMT. These errors include both static and dynamic errors such
as figuring and phasing errors of the segments. The resulting PSF can be computed with or without
adaptive optics correction. While not as versatile as the traditional Monte-Carlo approach, the analytical
method has been demonstrated to be much faster and just as accurate. OPTICA is thus ideal to carry out
trade studies that require the exploration of large parameter spaces.
MEMS DM Controller
Project Leader: David Loop
ATRG-V, in collaboration with the University of Victoria AO Laboratory, is developing a controller for a
1024 actuator MEMS deformable mirror. Previous MEMS controllers have suffered from long capacitive
high voltage cable lengths, and a close-coupled electronics concept with fibre communications is being
developed.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
7
4. Minor Projects
CARMA Mixers
Project Leader: Stéphane Claude
The CARMA Telescope has approached the ATRG-V to provide 18 mixers for receiver upgrades. The
mixers provided by the ATRG-V will increase the CARMA sensitivity by a factor two, placing this facility as
one of the leading radio interferometers in the World. The contract has been signed and the delivery of
the first of the 18 mixers is scheduled for February 2007, followed by a performance review. The last
mixer will be delivered in December 2007.
TMT Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph (IRMOS) MOAO system
Project Leader: David Andersen
NRC-HIA, in collaboration with Steve Eikenberry’s team at the University of Florida, completed a
feasibility study of IRMOS, one of the proposed instruments for TMT, in March 2006. IRMOS will not be a
first light instrument on TMT, because it relies on emerging methods and technologies, such as open-loop
adaptive optics (see VOLT project below) and MEMS deformable mirrors. However, the University of
Florida/NRC-HIA IRMOS concept was favorably received and will likely receive future attention, as the
risk associated with these novel methods and technologies is retired through proper R&D.
Gemini FLAMINGOS-2 OIWFS
Project Leader: Brian Leckie
FLAMINGOS-2 is a collaboration with Steve Eikenberry’s team at the University of Florida. The ATRG-V
portion was to build an On-Instrument Wave-Front Sensor (OIWFS) for installation on an infrared
spectrograph being built by the University. The OIWFS is currently awaiting final testing with the main
instrument at the University of Florida.
Gemini FLAMINGOS-2 Tunable Filters (F2T2)
Project leader: David Loop
ATRG-V is collaborating with Roberto Abraham at the University of Toronto and ComDev in Ottawa to
enhance the Flamingos-2 instrument with tunable etalon filters and enable the Gemini Genesis Survey
(GGS), a planned search for first generation star-forming systems. HIA is providing systems engineering
and integration consulting for the project. When commissioned, this relatively inexpensive upgrade will
make it possible to search for very faint and distant star formation regions, possible contenders for “first
light”. Gemini is now considering the possibility of upgrading the project to a deployable facility-class
system. The etalons are in the final manufacturing stages at ComDev and integration with the Flamingos2 instrument will begin later this year.
Gemini ALTAIR Laser Guide Star (LGS)
Project leader: Glen Herriot
The ATRG-V helped Gemini to successfully complete the commissioning of Altair LGS. Very good
performance and reliable operation have been achieved. Altair LGS is currently undergoing systems
verification with NIFS, the Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrograph and is expected to be available for
regular queue-observing very soon.
Gemini ALTAIR Field Lens
Project leader: Darren Erickson
The ARTG-V completed the construction and delivery of the Altair Field Lens to the Gemini North
observatory. The Field Lens was designed to enlarge the corrected field of view for Altair by a factor of
20 to 30 times. Improvements are seen as an increased Strehl ratio and reduction in the anisoplanatism
of the system. This upgrade was accomplished with minimal changes to the existing facility.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
8
High-speed Acquisition Camera (HIAC)
Project leader: Tim Hardy
ATRG-V completed work on HIAC, a low-noise, high frame rate camera for the local DAO telescopes.
HIA astronomer JJ Kavelaars and PhD student Steve Bickerton recently used the camera for an
observing campaign searching for Kuiper Belt objects.
Inuksuk Arctic Site Testing
Project Leader and Project Scientist: Eric Steinbring
Project Engineer: Brian Leckie
Inuksuk is a robotic weather station and sky-monitoring system for characterizing potential observatory
sites in the Canadian High Arctic. The goal is to test three mountains on Northern Ellesmere Island,
Nunavut. Two of these received a station in 2006 in collaboration with Ray Carlberg and his students at
the University of Toronto, and thanks to logistical support from Natural Resources Canada.
A third station is under development for a higher site as a partnership between NRC-HIA, Environment
Canada, and Defence Research and Development Canada. This would employ an advanced camera for
viewing the whole sky which is being built at CTIO. This third station is planned to be deployed in the
summer of 2007.
MDA RapidEYE
Project Leader: John Pazder
ATRG-V continues its consulting relationship with McDonald Dettweiler and Associates (MDA) through
providing expert optical consulting on the RapidEYE project. RapidEYE is a constellation of five small
satellites being developed by German industry in cooperation with MDA. It will be used to provide highresolution multispectral imagery and GIS services to commercial clients.
James Webb Space Telescope FGS
Project Leader: John B. Hutchings, HIA Astronomer
ATRG-V continues its support of the James Webb Space Telescope project through work on the Fine
Guidance Sensor (FGS). The FGS project is being led by ComDev and is funded by contracts with the
Canadian Space Agency. HIA is contributing by developing performance models for the instrument,
doing independent optical analysis, and undertaking unique detector testing.
Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT)
Project Leader: John B. Hutchings, HIA Astronomer
ATRG-V continues its support to Routes on the UVIT project. UVIT is an ultraviolet space telescope that
will be launched on the Indian Space Research Organization’s AstroSAT mission.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
9
5. Business Development and Partnerships
Business Development Activity
Since the signing of the Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) license agreement between NRC-HIA and Nanowave
Technologies Inc, two amplifiers were delivered to CEA Saclay (France) in December 2005, and
Nanowave also received a confirmed order in December 2006 from the Combined Array for Research in
Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) to supply cryogenic IF amplifiers for their 100 GHz receivers.
Several other Astronomy Institutions including Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics
(ASIAA) and the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO) have also expressed a keen interest in these ATRG-V
developed LNAs. Staff continue to work with Nanowave Technologies to find applications in nonastronomy related areas.
ATRG-V consulted with Terra Remote Sensing Inc. to help debug their next generation LIDAR for highresolution 3D aerial surveying.
Staff are currently investigating the possible commercial value of microwave circuit simulation to
companies developing remote sensing applications.
ATRG-V staff continue to seek out firms who may be potential software development partners for TMT.
ATRG-V is actively pursuing the opportunities to commercialize our Integrated Modeling Toolset, which
was developed for modeling telescope performance. Engineers continue to investigate its possible
commercial applications in modeling the performance of simpler optical systems such as cameras.
Corporate Relationships
Part of the TMT Telescope Structure Group Leader’s responsibilities is to provide the managerial
interface between AMEC Dynamic Structures (ADS) and the TMT project in the form of the work package
manager who defines the technical contents, schedule and budget of ADS’ work on the telescope
structure system. Although the work package is a formal contractual arrangement between TMT/ACURA
and AMEC, the cooperation between TMT, ATRG-V, and AMEC is considered a partnership at many
levels. The work package manager is an essential link to establish and maintain an amiable and effective
long-term working relationship between the TMT and AMEC in addition to providing management
oversight and engineering support to ensure the quality of the design work.
Broadcast Live Technologies (BLT) Inc, a Victoria hi-tech startup company, is developing a light weight
ear piece receiver that allows spectators of sporting events to listen to the play-by-play broadcast of the
home team, of the opponent's team, or even eavesdropping on the communications between coaches
and players. Fans equipped with a Sportsbug receiver would be able to tune in to the broadcast channel
of their choice. Through the IRAP program, BLT asked HIA for some technical support to evaluate and
characterize the antenna designs for the Sportsbug receiver. Using the RF test instrumentation and the
engineering support provided by the ATRG-V, the work was completed in May 2006. BLT was able to
evaluate the sensitivities of various antenna designs and select one best suited for their application. They
finished the construction of their prototype units and hosted a product demonstration to launch the
Sportsbug receiver in October 2006.
ATRG-V is providing expertise and advice to COMDEV in support of their collaboration on the FGS and
NIRCAM components of the JWST project, and on the Flamingos-2 tunable filter F2T2 development.
ATRG-V has provided technical and strategic advice to Routes, Inc on an ultraviolet imager and identified
and nurtured a flight opportunity on a satellite being built by the Indian Space Agency in Bangalore.
ATRG-V maintained its relationship with INO of Saint Foy, Quebec through collaboration on the Gemini
Planet Imager Project. INO’s optical expertise is showcased internationally through its involvement in
collaborative astronomy projects.
ATRG-V renewed its contract to provide expert consulting to McDonald Detweiller for its RapidEYE
project. HIA and MDA continued to explore areas of mutual interest in satellite imaging and space
technology.
ATRG-V is collaborating with Flexmet Inc. to develop test equipment and facilities for adaptive optics.
Flexmet Inc. is a privately held company with access to resources and material at the University of
Victoria.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
10
6. University Collaborations
University of Victoria
ATRG-V is a collaborator with the University of Victoria’s ELIDA laboratory and provides expertise to the
Adaptive Optics program, in addition to mentoring and assisting students.
The ATRG-V is supervising and supporting the University of Victoria’s Segment Testbed which is
exploring distributed control for highly segmented telescope mirrors.
ATRG-V continues to collaborate with the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of
Victoria:

ATRG-V provided support on software for simulating the detailed behaviour of microwave
components to Dr W. R. Hoefer, leading to a Strategic Project Grant Final Report issued this
year. The simulation (Hybrid field/SIS time domain model) of ALMA Band 3 mixer chip was
done by a graduate student, who was co-supervised by Dr Hoefer and Stéphane Claude.

Stéphane Claude and Dr Jens Bornemann are co-supervising a graduate student, Ian Wood,
who will defend his Master in the fall of 2007. The research work focuses on the design of
planar antenna for radio astronomy. A prototype is currently being fabricated by the
laboratory of École Polytechnique de Montréal.
David Crampton has renewed his appointment as an adjunct faculty at the University of Victoria;
Stéphane Claude and Jean-Pierre Véran, and Luc Simard are also adjunct faculty.
Camosun College
André Anthony, Mechanical Designer, sits on the Mechanical Technologists Advisory board at Camosun
College and acts as a sessional instructor.
University of British Columbia
ATRG-V collaborated with the University of British Columbia to evaluate the impact of the variability of the
mesospheric sodium layer on laser guide star performance for TMT. The project scientist for NFIRAOS,
Paul Hickson UBC, worked closely with the ATRG-V during the conceptual design phase.
Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal
ATRG-V continues to work with faculty and students of the advanced microwave research centre at the
Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal. At least one doctoral dissertation directly beneficial to millimetre
astronomy is expected to result, and further opportunities are being identified. The research work
focuses on integrated receivers for planar array technology that can be used for radio telescopes.
Université de Montréal
The ATRG-V has established a subcontract in the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) project with Rene Doyon
at Université de Montréal to develop data reduction software, and is co-supervising a PhD student from
Université de Montréal to work on advanced AO algorithm in support of the GPI project.
University of Toronto
ATRG-V is collaborating with Professors Ray Carlberg and Roberto Abraham of the University of Toronto,
on various aspects of the TMT project and with Roberto Abraham on the F2T2 tunable filter project to
search for first light objects with Gemini.
University of Florida
Our partnership with the University of Florida continued beyond the Flamingos-2 instrument. ATRG-V is
now working with Professor Stephen Eikenberry of UF to incorporate tunable filters for the Flamingos-2
instrument. We are also closely collaborating on a design study for TMT’s IRMOS.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
11
University of Virginia
ATRG-V continues to cooperate with the University of Virginia, as more wafers are being developed for
the ALMA Band 3 project.
Université de Nice (France)
ATRG-V began mentoring a student from the University of Nice, France developing advanced
background optimizing algorithms for NFIRAOS, to track wavefront sensor centroid gain in real time.
National Taiwan University
ATRG-V started a collaboration with the National Taiwan University (NTU), Department of Electrical
Engineering in Taipei. NTU students are supported through an exchange program between NRC and the
Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Canada. A PhD student is currently working with
Stéphane Claude and Frank Jiang of the ATRG-V on testing of MMIC (Monolithic Microwave Integrated
Circuit) for the ALMA Band 1, and high frequency range of the SKA project.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
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7. Staff and Expertise
In last year’s report, replacing the Group Leader was identified as a major issue. A search was
undertaken to find a direct replacement for David Crampton, focusing on astronomy scientists with
instrumentation team leadership experience. This search was unsuccessful and alternative leadership
models were then investigated. A composite leadership model was identified whereby an engineer could
lead the group with support from an advisory team of astronomy scientists. This composite leadership
model has been actualized by appointing one of the senior engineers, David Loop, as Group Leader, and
appointing Luc Simard as a science advisor to the ATRG-V. David Crampton also remains attached to
the group in a science advisory role. Science advisors from the millimetre and space astronomy groups
within HIA will also be utilized.
During the past year, two of our senior optical engineers, Chris Morbey and Jim Stilburn, retired and
Murray Fletcher will also likely retire soon. Chris' design skills are being largely fulfilled by a new hire,
Jenny Atwood, but Jim and Murray's hands-on knowledge and expertise needs to be replaced
immediately.
In the adaptive optics team, Laurent Jolissaint will leave at the end of February (for a senior AO position
at Leiden) and Jeff Stoesz completed his PhD and is now doing a postdoc at Arcetri. Both of these
contributed a lot to our AO program, especially to AO for TMT. We are in the process of recruiting an AO
postdoc for the Gemini GPI project, but need to augment our general AO staff, particularly to support
TMT-related projects (NFIRAOS). More specifically, we have an on-going requirement for another AO
specialist, as well as another research associate with similar skills.
In the mechanical team, Rusty Gardhouse left during the year, and Kei Szeto and Scott Roberts were
committed to full time TMT support roles in telescope structure and systems engineering, respectively.
These mechanical engineers need to be replaced in the coming year.
In the software team, Les Saddlemyer has been committed to the Gemini GPI project in project
management and systems engineering roles.
We need to recruit a replacement software
engineer/computer scientist for instrument control software in the coming year. In addition, we have need
for another algorithm/mathematics specialist.
In the electronics team, we anticipate the imminent retirement of Dennis Derdall, an electronics
technician, and the retirement of Brian Leckie, the team leader, after the coming year. We need to
evaluate our electronics staffing in the coming year and rebuild this team.
Table 1 EMPLOYEES (2006/07)
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Employee
Skill
Tenure
Anthony
Atwood
Claude
Crampton
Derdall
Dindo
Duncan
Dunn
Erickson
Fitzsimmons
Fletcher
Fotsy
Ganton
Hardy
Herriot
Mechanical Designer
Optical Engineer
Radio Engineer / MM Team Leader
Astronomer
Electronic Technician
Radio Engineer
Mechanical Designer
Software Engineer / SW Team Leader
Mechanical Engineer (Calgary) / ME Team Leader
Mechanical Engineer
Optical Engineer
Administrative Assistant
Mechanical Technician
Electronic Engineer
Systems Engineer
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
Continuing
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
End Date
13
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
Hnylycia
Jennings
Jiang
Leckie
Mirza
Pazder
Powell
Ricard
Roberts
Rodrigues
Saddlemyer
Sebesta
Simard
Smith
Szeto
Véran
Wooff
Yeung
Mechanical Technician
Mechanical Tech. / Shop Sup.
Radio Engineer
Electronic Engineer / EE Team Leader
Electronic Technician
Optical Designer / Opt. Team Leader
Optical Designer (1/2 time)
Administrator, Project Support
Mechanical Engineer (Vancouver)
Electrical Technician
Software Programmer
Mechanical Designer
Astronomer
Software Programmer
Mechanical Engineer
AO Scientist / AO Team Leader
Software Programmer
Project Manager
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
Andersen
Byrnes
Caputa
Garcia
Hill, Alexis
Jolissaint
Loop
Niranjanan
Pfleger
Steinbring
Welle
Adaptive Optics Scientist/Astronomer
Mechanical Engineer
Electronic Engineer
Electronic Technician
Mechanical Designer
AO Scientist (Post-Doc)
Group Leader
Electronic Technician
Electronic Technician
Adaptive Optics Scientist (CGO)
Mechanical Designer
Murowinski
Eisenhuth
Ford
Gardhouse
Sun
Stilburn
Project Manager
Mechanical Technician
Administrator, Project Support
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Optical Engineer
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
On Leave
On Call
Off Staff
Off Staff
Off Staff
Retired
14
We have a strong contingent of students and visiting workers continuing into the coming year and we will
recruit to maintain the current level.
Table 2 STUDENTS/VISITING WORKERS (2006/07)
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Name
Bandara
Butler
Dionne
Dousset
Feige
Fischer
Fraser
Huang
Kerley
Lavigne
MacPhee,
Michelle
Nataf, David
Stoesz
Thanjavur
Wang
Wood
Program / Institution
MSc/Visiting worker, Uvic
Co-op, UVic
WES, Sherbrooke
Ph.D/Visiting Worker, Ecole Polytechnique de
Montréal
Ph.D/Visiting Worker
Tenure
Active
Complete
Complete
Visiting Worker
PhD., UVic
PhD/Visiting worker, National Taiwan U.
Morton Fellowship, Uvic
Ph.D/Visiting Worker, U. Laval
Active
Complete
Active
Active
Active
Active
Active
Co-op, UPEI
Co-op, McGill
Ph.D, UVic
PhD/Visiting Worker, UVic
Co-op, UBC
MSc/Visiting worker, UVic
Complete
Complete
Complete
Active
Complete
Active
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
End Date
15
8. Future Directions
The ATRG-V will continue to pursue its vision of being the world’s foremost astronomy technology group,
focused primarily on the development of instrumentation. We believe that, by doing so, we can not only
fulfill our mandate to support Canadian astronomical facilities, but also participate in creating technologies
that can facilitate groundbreaking scientific achievements for Canadian scientists.
To maximize the gains we can make in science and technology, we plan to:

Continue to recruit world-class staff and students, especially in key and emerging areas such
as adaptive optics, receiver and detector technologies, and control systems.

Invest sufficient financial resources in equipment and platform technologies in our key areas
(adaptive optics, millimetre research, optomechanics, cryogenics, software/simulation,
electronics, and high-precision machining) to keep our expertise competitive in the world
arena.
 Maintain a sufficient resource base to allow our staff to pursue forward-looking R&D.
Fostering Canadian University Instrumentation
We will undertake an outreach program to Canadian university astronomy instrumentation groups to
exchange ideas on current and future Canadian astronomy instrumentation initiatives.
The goal will be to establish a small number of instrumentation collaborations to stimulate the growth of
astronomy instrumentation skills and to establish an ongoing rapport and an improved network of
astronomy instrumentation capability.
Fostering Canadian Industry
We will also undertake an outreach program to Canadian researchers in industry and non-astronomy
university technology faculties and associated incubator enterprises. We will exchange ideas on
technologies, presenting our current views on astronomy technology needs and opportunities, and the
researchers presenting their latest work.
The goal will be to establish a small number of research collaborations to stimulate the development of
new Canadian astronomy technologies, and to position Canadian industry and researchers to partake in
future astronomy instrumentation projects.
Potential New Projects for 2007/08
In addition to continued effort on our major project and research efforts discussed above we have
potential for the following additional projects,
Gemini GLAO: ATRG-V is well placed to lead the Gemini Ground Layer Adaptive Optics (GLAO) project
if this project starts at the end of the Mauna Kea site characterization campaign. We anticipate being
involved in the modeling activities in the coming year
Focal Plane Array K Band Camera: The Canadian Radio Astronomy community has expressed an
interest in a focal plane array K Band (17 to 30 GHz) camera to be commissioned on the GBT as a
visiting instrument. It has been suggested that the ATRG-V may be able to contribute through system
design and also by providing the 26 GHz LNAs in collaboration with a Canadian university team.
VLT Adaptive Optics: We will likely be asked to submit a proposal for the construction of a number of
small adaptive optics systems for the VLT interferometer project. This is a testament to our stature in the
world AO community and may be an attractive revenue project opportunity.
HIA ATRG-V Activity Summary
FY 2006/2007
16