Related papers: The Durham Micro-Optics Programme
The Smart Focal Planes (SmartFP) activity is a European Joint Research Activity funded to develop novel optical technologies for future large telescope instrumentation. In this paper, we will discuss the image slicer developments being…
Adaptive optics systems are essential on all large telescopes where image quality is important. These are complex systems with many design parameters requiring optimisation before good performance can be achieved. The simulation of adaptive…
As we move towards the era of ELTs, it is timely to think about the future role of the 8-m class telescopes. Under the OPTICON programme, novel technologies have been developed that are intended for use in multi-object and integral-field…
We present a novel photolithography based technique to efficiently fabricate microlens-fibre based Integral Field Units (IFUs). These IFUs are being developed for Devasthal Optical Telescope Integral Field Spectrograph (DOTIFS) which offer…
We describe and summarize the optical challenges for future instrumentation for Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs). Knowing the complex instrumental requirements is crucial for the successful design of 30-60m aperture telescopes. After all,…
We present the results of our work on developing fully integrated devices (photonic dicers) for reformatting multimode light to a diffraction limited pseudo-slit. These devices can be used to couple a seeing-limited telescope…
The Planet Formation Imager (PFI) initiative aims at developing the next generation large scale facility for imaging astronomical optical interferometry operating in the mid-infrared. Here we report on the progress of the Planet Formation…
An integrated microscope that combines different optical techniques for simultaneous imaging is demonstrated. The microscope enables spectral-domain optical coherence microscopy based on optical backscatter, and multi-photon microscopy for…
The next generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT), with diameters up to 39 meters, will start opera- tion in the next decade and promises new challenges in the development of instruments. The growing field of astrophotonics (the use…
We introduce our new program to develop two-dimensional MEMS arrays of individually addressable micro-mirrors (''Micro-Mirror Devices'', MMDs) specifically optimized for astronomy, multi-slit spectroscopy in particular. After reviewing the…
Digital micromirror devices have gained popularity in wavefront shaping, offering a high frame rate alternative to liquid crystal spatial light modulators. They are relatively inexpensive, offer high resolution, are easy to operate, and a…
The development of bare fiber or air-gapped microlens-fiber coupled Integral Field Units (IFUs) for astronomical applications requires careful treatment of the fiber end-faces (terminations). Previous studies suggest that minimization of…
Integral Field Spectroscopy (IFS) is an observational method to obtain spatially resolved spectra over a specific field of view (FoV) in a single exposure. In recent years, near-infrared IFS has gained importance in observing objects with…
After having demonstrated that an IFU, attached to a microscope rather than to a telescope, is capable of differentiating complex organic tissue with spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy, we have launched a clinical validation program that…
Optical imaging technologies are central to discovery in the life and physical sciences, yet their impact depends on how readily they can be built, adapted, and sustained across laboratories. Digital fabrication, including desktop 3D…
Prototype optical microscopes, built to pursue developments in advanced imaging techniques, need specific optomechanical constructions: preferably with high flexibility in the elements arrangement, easy access to the optical paths,…
The fast-growing field of soft matter research requires increasingly sophisticated tools for experimental studies. One of the oldest and most widely used tools to study soft matter systems is optical microscopy. Recent advances in optical…
The next generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT), with diameters up to 39 meters, is planned to begin operation in the next decade and promises new challenges in the development of instruments since the instrument size increases in…
We explore the use of remapping techniques to improve the efficiency of highly-multiplexed fibre systems for astronomical spectroscopy. This is particularly important for the implementation of Diverse Field Spectroscopy (DFS, described in…
Observations at mas-resolution scales and high dynamic range hold a central place in achieving, for instance, the spectroscopic characterization of exo-Earths or the detailed mapping of their protoplanetary disc birthplace. Ground or…