LGS Project Meeting

1
LGS Project Meeting

• November 9, 2006

2
Outline

• Project infrastructure
• PALM-3000 update
• LGS subsystem updates
• Optical bench
• LGS facility
• AO software
• CfAO retreat talks
• LGS calendar

3
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.

4
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
• Requirements definition.
• LOWFS development.
• Wavefront processor development.
• Re-layout of the AO relay for SWIFT (design
  only).

5
AO Bench Opto-mechanics

• The MGSU has been removed
• 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
• 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

6
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
• 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?).

7
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
• 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)

8
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 LLTPF bench in
  the Coude lab. Instead, PF bench will be tested
  alone (Anna, Antonin, Renu 27-29 Nov.).

9
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).

10
AO Software

• System Start-up
• AO start-up problem (TT)
• AO version switching (TT)
• AOCP (JA)
• white light power save/restore (completed)
• white light command bug
• ASCII save/restore
• Wavefront Processing (HWFP/LWFP) (TNT/CS)
• Add new centroiding capabilities to the LWFP
• Modifications to use of centroid offsets
• Telemetry Subsystem (SG)
• Add message IDs to "late message" warnings
• BTO/aodr data recording "late message" error
• Condense repeated "late message" of the same kind
• External Interface
• BTO I/F
• TCS raw angle data to BTO (completed)
• Receive BTO status data
• PHARO I/F

11
AO User Interface

• Proposed Changes to the NGS GUI December 06
• 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

12
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

13
LGS Calendar
14
LGS Calendar
15
LGS Calendar