LGS Project Meeting
November 9, 2006
Outline
1. Project infrastructure
2. PALM-3000 update
3. LGS subsystem updates
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Optical bench
LGS facility
AO software
4. CfAO retreat talks
5. LGS calendar
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LGS project infrastructure
• COO Twiki site is running smoothly again:
http://www.oir.caltech.edu/twiki_oir/bin/view.cgi/Palomar/PalmLGS
• AO lab at Palomar has been been cleaned up, and
outfitted with new cabinets and tools. Tool cabinet will
be locked. Optics and optomechanics will be available
to all with a check-out system.
• AO lab at JPL has been similarly outfitted.
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PALM-3000 update
• PALM-3000 kickoff meeting was held on Nov. 1-3.
• Rich and Mitch are leading the project.
• Primary activity this fiscal year is:
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Requirements definition.
LOWFS development.
Wavefront processor development.
Re-layout of the AO relay for SWIFT (design only).
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AO Bench Opto-mechanics
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The MGSU has been removed
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For the December run
– Dichroic
• Realign after MGSU removal
– LOWFS
• Mount and realign LOWFS to the bench rather than the MGSU
• Potentially change orientation to stay within the area of the bench and allow full range of
motion
• Add focus/z adjustment
– Acquisition Camera
• Mount and realign the field lens to the bench rather than the MGSU
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For January
– Dichroic
• Separate reflecting spot and dichroic capabilities into 2 optics
• Use a motorized stage to switch between the two optics
• Optics will have adjustments for x and y tilt and translation
– LOWFS
• Testing to determine the cause of the observed loss of light in the LOWFS path
– Acquisition Camera
• Mounting acquisition optics on a single plate for ease of realignment
• Potentially obtain a new acquisition camera to increase the FOV
– Requirement: Camera can be controlled via the current setup in the AO system
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Laser characterization and
power improvements
• Laser power during Oct. engineering run was 4.2-5.5 W (down ~1 W
after installation of the optical isolator).
• Renu has been researching clean room facilities and the laser
optical design.
• Potential power improvements:
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Replace 1.32 µm laser intracavity NLX (Renu: next few weeks).
Measure laser bandwidth and pulse length (Ed, Renu: Dec. 3-7).
Replace laser heads with Mach 3 design (Ed, Renu: Dec. 8-11).
Clean laser optics (Renu: Jan-Feb?).
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Laser automation
• Thermal control of 6 optics (4 TEC and 2 heaters) has been
implemented and tested. More channels may be needed.
• Micropulse phasing lock implemented in hardware and tested during
October engineering run.
• New sodium cell components have been ordered, and will be
assembled and tested next week (Renu, Chris: Nov. 13-15).
• LGS computer functionality is being defined:
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Temperature control: enable/disable, display and log temps.
Frequency lock: enable/disable, scan, offload to etalon temp.
Power diagnostics: display and log 8 avg. power at ~10 Hz.
Video diagnostics: log 6 channels at ~1 Hz, display 4 at 30 Hz.
Program delay generator.
Provide operator GUI (display data from database)
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Laser diagnostics and LLT
• Coude and Prime Focus diagnostics benches have been installed,
with preliminary tests during Oct. engineering run.
• Goal is to finalize the diagnostics bench optical layouts, and camera
and photodiode calibration by the December run.
• LLT modification plans for December run include a new “flip-out”
mount for the LLT lens, better alignment tools, and a modified mirror
cover (Hal).
• We decided against testing full LLT+PF bench in the Coude lab.
Instead, PF bench will be tested alone (Anna, Antonin, Renu: 27-29
Nov.).
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Laser safety systems
• Communication/privilege problem between ASCAM and interlock
system has been solved.
• IRCAM detection threshold has been reduced to eliminate false
positives.
• Both cameras are ready to go “live” (run via VNC) for the Dec.
engineering run.
• Main task ahead: Develop a test plan for camera sensitivity
verification (Cromer, Bouchez).
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AO Software
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System Start-up
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AOCP (JA)
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Add new centroiding capabilities to the LWFP
Modifications to use of centroid offsets
Telemetry Subsystem (SG)
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white light power save/restore (completed)
white light command bug
ASCII save/restore
Wavefront Processing (HWFP/LWFP) (TNT/CS)
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AO start-up problem (TT)
AO version switching (TT)
Add message IDs to "late message" warnings
BTO/aodr data recording "late message" error
Condense repeated "late message" of the same kind
External Interface
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BTO I/F
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PHARO I/F
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TCS raw angle data to BTO (completed)
Receive BTO status data
Update I/F document for PHARO (SWIFT)
take_image command/data (completed)
reset_foi command
Control
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Display both NGS/LGS status
Display BTO status
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AO User Interface
• Proposed Changes to the NGS GUI – December ‘06
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Adjusting the time to take a sky based on the framerate
Replacing slider in servo loop GUI with a text input box
GUI will show current values (servo loops, etc)
Method to load tables from the GUI
Default log rates set based on frame rate
GUI for choosing log rate and data types
• Proposed Additions and Changes for an LGS GUI – February ‘07
* This list is in process *
– Separate mode/GUI from NGS
– Additional buttons for new servo loops (UTT, LOWFS focus)
– WFS camera settings (HOWFS and LOWFS) accessible from a single
GUI panel
– All servo loop parameters accessible from a single GUI panel
– Additional status displays for LOWFS, LGS loops, BTO
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CFAO Retreat
• Palomar Talks
Friday
– Antonin Bouchez, Laser Guidestar Results
– Jenny Roberts, NGS Low Order Wavefront Sensor
– Sidd Bikkannavar, Phase Retrieval Results at Palomar
– Chris Shelton, Optimal Faint-Object AO
Saturday
– Gene Serabyn, ExAO and the Palomar well-corrected subaperture
• Other Projects
– Kent Wallace, Calibration system testbed
– Ian Crossfield, ExAO contrast on segmented telescopes
• Poster
– Chris Shelton, Atmospheric Dispersion Correctors for Extreme AO
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LGS Calendar
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LGS Calendar
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LGS Calendar
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