Liger for Next Generation Keck Adaptive Optics: Opto-Mechanical Dewar for Imaging Camera and Slicer

TL;DR

This paper describes the design of a custom dewar chamber for testing and calibrating the Liger adaptive optics integral field spectrograph and imager at Keck Observatory, enabling precise characterization of its components.

Contribution

It introduces a specialized vacuum dewar chamber tailored for Liger's opto-mechanical system, facilitating testing, calibration, and future experimental adaptability.

Findings

Design achieves vacuum below 10^-5 Torr

Maintains cold shield below 90 K

Provides efficient calibration and characterization capabilities

Abstract

Liger is a next generation adaptive optics (AO) fed integral field spectrograph (IFS) and imager for the W. M. Keck Observatory. This new instrument is being designed to take advantage of the upgraded AO system provided by Keck All-Sky Precision Adaptive-optics (KAPA). Liger will provide higher spectral resolving power (R$\sim$4,000-10,000), wider wavelength coverage ($\sim$0.8-2.4 $\mu$m), and larger fields of view than any current IFS. We present the design and analysis for a custom-made dewar chamber for characterizing the Liger opto-mechanical system. This dewar chamber is designed to test and assemble the Liger imaging camera and slicer IFS components while being adaptable for future experiments. The vacuum chamber will operate below $10^{-5}$ Torr with a cold shield that will be kept below 90 K. The dewar test chamber will be mounted to an optical vibration isolation platform and further isolated from the cryogenic and vacuum systems with bellows. The cold head and vacuums will be mounted to a custom cart that will also house the electronics and computer that interface with the experiment. This test chamber will provide an efficient means of calibrating and characterizing the Liger instrument and performing future experiments.