RE: ATM Active Optics

[Frank Henriquez <frank@ucla.edu>]

Greg Jones wrote:

>   3) works best in the IR; I'm planning to use I-band (CCD) but really need
>K-band.

Not only will an IR array be expensive ($15K - $150K, depending on 
the resolution and type) you'll also need cryogenics. A Rockwell 
NICMOS HgCdTe array will work great at K (and other short 
wavelengths) and can be cooled with LN2, but indium antimonide (InSb) 
detectors (for longer wavelengths) will require liquid helium, or a 
closed cycle cooler AND LN2.

Back at my old job, one of the IR cameras I worked on is now on the 
Keck II AO bench. 
http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu:3636/realpublic/inst/ao/about/aboutkcam.html
I've always been amazed by that little camera. It's done real science 
on several telescopes, from the UCLA 24" to the Lick 3M to the Keck 
2. Not bad, considering that it was built in 1992, and mainly to gain 
experience with the NICMOS III arrays.

Frank
-- 
Frank Henriquez  Programmer/Analyst  Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA
frank@ucla.edu   http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~frank/index.htm