The Infrared Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: Instrument Overview

TL;DR

IRIS is a near-infrared spectrograph and imager for TMT, offering diffraction-limited resolution and broad scientific applications, with detailed design and capabilities overview based on preliminary phase results.

Contribution

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of IRIS's design, capabilities, and preliminary results, highlighting its potential for diverse astrophysical research.

Findings

IRIS achieves diffraction-limited imaging with NFIRAOS.

It offers moderate spectral resolution (R ~4,000 - 8,000).

Preliminary design phase results demonstrate feasibility and performance.

Abstract

IRIS is a near-infrared (0.84 to 2.4 microns) integral field spectrograph and wide-field imager being developed for first light with the Thirty Meter (TMT). It mounts to the advanced optics (AO) system NFIRAOS and has integrated on-instrument wavefront sensors (OIWFS) to achieve diffraction-limited spatial resolution at wavelengths longer than 1 micron. With moderate spectral resolution (R ~4,000 - 8,000) and large bandpass over a continuous field of view, IRIS will open new opportunities in virtually every area of astrophysical science. It will be able to resolve surface features tens of kilometers across Titan, while also mapping the distant galaxies at the scale of an individual star forming region. This paper summarizes the entire design and capabilities, and includes the results from the nearly completed preliminary design phase.