Paper 13100-26
Paper 13100-26
Direct laser frequency comb calibration of an astronomical spectrograph
17 June 2024 • 11:15 - 11:30 Japan Standard Time | Room G214, North - 2F
Abstract
We introduce a new technique for directly calibrating an astronomical spectrograph using only a laser frequency comb, without support from auxiliary hollow-cathode-lamp or single-frequency-laser measurements. A comb-mode-resolving spectral shaper is employed in conjunction with a GPS-disciplined 20 GHz visible to near-infrared laser frequency comb to optically isolate a single comb mode. This mode is measured to an accuracy of 60 MHz (0.002 cm-1) by an optical wavemeter, refined to sub-fm precision via the comb-equation, and used with the other comb modes to provide a complete frequency mapping of an astronomical spectrograph. Our approach eliminates the need for pre-calibration using a hollow-cathode lamp or a fiducial spectral marker from a single-frequency laser.
Presenter
William Newman
Heriot-Watt Univ. (United Kingdom)
William Newman completed his undergraduate degree in Physics with Astrophysics at The University of Glasgow in 2014, before embarking upon 9 years of industry-based laser production work building, developing and installing an array of lasers and their subsystems. In 2023 he began a PhD with the Ultrafast Optics Group at Heriot-Watt University where he is now applying his laser experience to the development of astrocombs.