Technologies & Instrumentation
Our group operates the Laboratory for Astronomical Instrumentation in the HPP building on the Hönggerberg Campus. We develop novel instruments and technologies that further the research goals of the Exoplanets and Habitability Group. We participate in several active instrumentation projects and run several in-house activities. See below for a summary.
Members
We are further supported by the Departement Workshop and the Engineering Office.
Ongoing Instrumentation Activities
MIRI / JWST
We provide post-delivery support of the Swiss hardware contribution to the Mid Infrared Instrument (MIRI) of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and contribute to the Calibration and Commissioning activities with focus on the medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) of MIRI. For more details see here.
METIS / ELT
We develop the Cryostat for the Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph (METIS) of the ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). Further, we provide the Project Scientist who is leading the METIS Science Team as well as the Lead Systems Engineer who is leading the technical development of METIS. For more details see here.
ERIS / VLT
We developed two cryogenic mechanisms for the Enhanced Resolution Imager and Spectrograph (ERIS) of the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and are involved in the testing and comissioning phase of this instrument. For more details see here.
In-house Laboratory Activities
NICE / LIFE
The Laboratory for Astronomical Instrumentation initiated the Nulling Interferometry Cryogenic Experiment (NICE) in order to support the Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (external pageLIFE) initiative. The project aims to demonstrate the measurement technique and the required nulling performance of LIFE at representative wavelengths and flux ranges.
Cryogenic Test Facilities
We operate two cryogenic test facilities to support the ongoing instrumentation activities.
- One facility is an optical test bench that allows testing of optical infrared components in the wavelength range of 1-5 µm at cryogenic conditions.
- The other facility is a cryogenic multi-purpose chamber that supports the developments of cryogenic opto-mechanical components (e.g. cryo-mechanisms).
More details can be found here.
High Contrast Imaging (terminated)
We ran an optical laboratory with the aim to explore diffraction suppression utilizing spatial light modulators (SLMs) as dynamically-addressable focal-plane phase coronagraphs in tandem with various pupil filters. More information can be found here.
Advanced Student Laboratory
The Laboratory for Astrophysical Instrumentation operates and maintains the facilities and experiments used by the advanced student labs.