1. The VLT Adaptive Optics Facility
R. Arsenault, P.-Y. Madec, W. Hackenberg, J. Paufique, S. Stroebele, J.-F. Pirard, E. Vernet, D. Bonaccini Calia, I. Guidolin, M. Quattri, R. Guzman, B. Buzzoni, M. Comin, C. Dupuy, A. Silber, J. Quentin, G. Igl, L. Taylor, J. Argomedo, P. Jolly, A. Manescau, R. Stuik, M. Downing, J. Reyes, A. Jost, M. Duchateau, N. Hubin, A. Glindemann, P. Amico, M. Lelouarn, J. Kolb, S. Tordo, E. Fedrigo, R. Donaldson, C. Soenke, R. Conzelmann, B. Delabre, M. Kiekebusch, J.-L. Lizon, P. La Penna, L. Jochum
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

2. 20th Anniversary of AO at ESO
AOF: why…what…
To provide improved observing conditions for UT4 Instruments by delivering
A better seeing in a Wide Field of View
Diffraction limited images in one direction
with as constraints
Not to degrade the Instruments throughput/emissivity
High sky coverage
To turn-out UT4 in an Adaptive Telescope
To replace M2 by a Deformable Secondary Mirror
To provide a Multi-Laser Guide Star Facility
To build two post-focal LGS/NGS WFS Modules
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

3. HAWK-I and MUSE the two (first) customers of AOF
HAWK-I, a Wide FoV IR Imager (0.9 – 2.5 mm)
7.5 x 7.5 arcmin2 FoV – 0.1 arcsec pixel size
Requirement towards AOF, in K bands
Gain of ≈2 in EE in 0.1 arcsec (seeing reducer: x0.8)
MUSE, a visible 3D Spectrograph ( nm)
WFM
1 x 1 arcmin2 FoV – 0.2 arcsec spaxel size
Requirements towards AOF: gain of ≈2 in EE in 0.2 arcsec
NFM
7.5 x 7.5 arcsec2 FoV – arcsec spaxel size
Requirements towards AOF: 5% to 10% Sr at 650 nm under 0.6 arcsec seeing
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

4. 20th Anniversary of AO at ESO
AOF: how…
MUSE NFM and WFM requirements
Number of DSM actuators > 1000 (1170 final)
Number of WFS subapertures > 33x33 (40x40 final)
Control frequency ≈ 1 kHz
LGS brightness (at Nasmyth) photons/m2/s
WFS camera RoN < 1 e-/pixel/frame
HAWK-I and MUSE WFM requirements
Number of LGSs 4
HAWK-I requirements
LGS distance from opt. axis up to 6 arcmin
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

5. 20th Anniversary of AO at ESO
AOF main subsystems
GRAAL
DSM
LGS Unit
GALACSI
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

6. DSM/M2 Unit (MG/ADS/OAA)
Same functions and interfaces as the actual M2 Dornier
Optical diameter 1120 mm
Focus, centering, tilt/chop
Hub interfaces
2 mm Zerodur thin shell, with magnets glued on
1170 voice coil actuators
DSM response time 0.7 ms
Liquid cooled (1.5 kW)
Delivery date end 2011
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

7. DSM development status
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12711/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

8. 4 Laser Guide Star Facility
4 identical LGS Unit, mounted on UT4 Center Piece
One 40 cm diameter Launch Telescope (TNO)
One Beam Control and Diagnostic System (ESO)
Control of focusing altitude (70 to 200 km)
Control of LGS position (0 to 6 arcmin from optical axis)
LGS jitter stabilization mirror (controlled by AO modules)
Safety devices (shutters)
Diagnostic tools (power meter, WFS, alignment camera)
One 20 W CW dual line laser (outsourced)
18 W in D2a and 2 W in D2b lines (back-pumping scheme)
Compact, efficient, reliable and maintainable laser
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

9. 4LGSF: development status
TOPTICA Laser
FASORtronics Laser
Launch telescope (TNO)
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

10. GRAAL: the HAWK-I AO Module
GLAO mode: seeing enhancer in 7.5 x 7.5 arcmin2 FoV
4 LGSs located almost 6 arcmin from the opt. axis
No optics inserted in the HAWK-I scientific FoV
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

11. GALACSI: the MUSE AO Module
WFM
GLAO mode: seeing enhancer in 1x1 arcmin2 750 nm
4 LGSs located ≈1 arcmin from the optical axis
NFM
LTAO mode: 5% to 10% Sr in a 5arcsec diameter 650 nm
4 LGSs located ≈10 arcsec from the optical axis
(Almost) no optics inserted in the MUSE scientific FoV
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

12. AOF: common critical components
SPARTA: real-time architecture for AO control
Inputs: 4 x (240x240 pixels / 1240 subap.) Shack-Hartmann
Outputs: 1170 commands
Control frequency: 1 kHz – latency: 400 ms
WFS measurement algorithm: WCoG
Control algorithm: Matrix Vector Multiplication
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

13. SPARTA: development status
RTC box
Co-processing cluster
GB Ethernet Switch
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

14. AOF: common critical components
SPARTA: real-time architecture for AO control
Inputs: 4 x (240x240 pixels / 1240 subap.) Shack-Hartmann
Outputs: 1170 commands
Control frequency: 1 kHz – latency: 400 ms
WFS measurement algorithm: WCoG
Control algorithm: Matrix Vector Multiplication
WFS camera
240x240 pixels – 1000 frames/s
High QE: > 589 nm
RoN: < 1e-/pixel/frame
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

15. WFS Cameras: development status
E2V CCD 220
WFS camera head: first ESO prototype
Ocam – test camera
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

16. AOF: common critical components
SPARTA: real-time architecture for AO control
Inputs: 4 x (240x240 pixels / 1240 subap.) Shack-Hartmann
Outputs: 1170 commands
Control frequency: 1 kHz – latency: 400 ms
WFS measurement algorithm: WCoG
Control algorithm: Matrix Vector Multiplication
WFS camera
240x240 pixels – 1000 frames/s
High QE: > 589 nm
RoN: < 1e-/pixel/frame
ASSIST: the AOF test and calibration tool
Optical calibration of the DSM
Full system test of the AOF
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

17. ASSIST: the AOF test bench
2.5 arcmin unvignetted fov
Diffraction limited on-axis and stringent pupil imaging quality
Simulation of NGSs and LGSs (including elongation)
3 phase screens at different altitudes
Simulation of VLT Nasmyth focus (f/15 – pupil at -16 m from focus)
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

18. ASSIST: development status
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO

19. 20th Anniversary of AO at ESO
AOF on-sky: when…
Critical path: DSM and laser delivery
DSM end 2011
Laser last one beginning 2013
Tests of DSM, GRAAL and GALACSI in Garching
One year needed end 2012
Installation of AOF at Paranal
Beginning 2013 (synchronized with laser delivery)
AOF first light 2013
27/11/2009
20th Anniversary of AO at ESO