Publications (14)
Micro-lens array as tip-tilt sensor for single-mode fiber coupling
Philipp Hottinger, Robert J. Harris, Philipp-Immanuel Dietrich +8
We introduce a design for a tip-tilt sensor with integrated single-mode fiber coupling for use with the front-end prototype of the iLocater spectrograph at the Large Binocular Tele…
EarthFinder Probe Mission Concept Study: Characterizing nearby stellar exoplanet systems with Earth-mass analogs for future direct imaging
Peter Plavchan, Gautam Vasisht, Chas Beichman +52
EarthFinder is a NASA Astrophysics Probe mission concept selected for study as input to the 2020 Astrophysics National Academies Decadal Survey. The EarthFinder concept is based on…
Commissioning and on-sky performance verification of iLocater
Marshall C. Johnson, Marcelo Tala Pinto, Jonathan Crass +59
The paper describes the commissioning and first on‑sky performance of iLocater, a high‑resolution near‑infrared spectrograph on the Large Binocular Telescope, demonstrating its abi…
The need for single-mode fiber-fed spectrographs
Jonathan Crass, Andrew Bechter, Eric Bechter +12
Precise Doppler radial-velocity (RV) instruments will continue to play an essential role in advancing our holistic understanding of exoplanetary systems. The combination of orbital…
Laboratory characterization of iLocater
Marcelo Tala Pinto, Marshall C. Johnson, Julia Brady +18
The paper describes laboratory tests of the iLocater near‑infrared, diffraction‑limited, fiber‑fed spectrograph for the Large Binocular Telescope, covering detector alignment, LED…
Final Design and On-Sky Testing of the iLocater SX Acquisition Camera: Broadband Single-Mode Fiber Coupling
Jonathan Crass, Andrew Bechter, Brian Sands +22
Enabling efficient injection of light into single-mode fibers (SMFs) is a key requirement in realizing diffraction-limited astronomical spectroscopy on ground-based telescopes. SMF…
Design of the iLocater Acquisition Camera Demonstration System
Andrew Bechter, Jonathan Crass, Ryan Ketterer +7
Existing planet-finding spectrometers are limited by systematic errors that result from their seeing-limited design. Of particular concern is the use of multi-mode fibers (MMFs), w…
Little iLocater: paving the way for iLocater
Robert J. Harris, Jonathan Crass, Marshall C. Johnson +10
Diffraction-limited radial velocity instruments offer a pathway towards improved precision and stability, and the exploration of new parameter spaces at high spatial and spectral r…
On-sky results for the novel integrated micro-lens ring tip-tilt sensor
Philipp Hottinger, Robert J. Harris, Jonathan Crass +16
We present the first on-sky results of the micro-lens ring tip-tilt (MLR-TT) sensor. This sensor utilizes a 3D printed micro-lens ring feeding six multi-mode fibers to sense misali…
The final design of the iLocater spectrograph: An optimized architecture for diffraction-limited EPRV instruments
Jonathan Crass, David Aikens, Joaquin Mason +7
iLocater is a near-infrared, extremely precise radial velocity (EPRV) spectrograph under construction for the dual 8.4 m diameter Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The instrument wi…
Focal Plane Tip-Tilt Sensing for Improved Single-Mode Fiber Coupling using a 3D-printed Microlens-Ring
Philipp Hottinger, Robert J. Harris, Philipp-Immanuel Dietrich +11
Modern extreme adaptive optics (AO) systems achieving diffraction-limited performance open up new possibilities for instrumentation. Especially important for the fields of spectros…
iLocater: A Diffraction-limited Doppler Spectrometer for the Large Binocular Telescope
Justin R. Crepp, Jonathan Crass, David King +31
We are developing a stable and precise spectrograph for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) named "iLocater." The instrument comprises three principal components: a cross-dispersed…
EarthFinder: A Precise Radial Velocity Probe Mission Concept For the Detection of Earth-Mass Planets Orbiting Sun-like Stars
Peter Plavchan, Bryson Cale, Patrick Newman +40
EarthFinder is a Probe Mission concept selected for study by NASA for input to the 2020 astronomy decadal survey. This study is currently active and a final white paper report is d…
On-sky single-mode fiber coupling measurements at the Large Binocular Telescope
Andrew Bechter, Jonathan Crass, Ryan Ketterer +12
The demonstration of efficient single-mode fiber (SMF) coupling is a key requirement for the development of a compact, ultra-precise radial velocity (RV) spectrograph. iLocater is…