Tunable dual-polarization photonic ring resonator filters for OH-suppressed ground-based astronomy

Kyler Kuehn; Thomas Kelley; Steve Kuhlmann; Robert Kehoe; James Lasker; Vaisakh Rajeev; Amy Hermann; Simon Ellis

doi:10.1117/12.3018485

26 August 2024 Tunable dual-polarization photonic ring resonator filters for OH-suppressed ground-based astronomy

Kyler Kuehn, Thomas Kelley, Steve Kuhlmann, Robert Kehoe, James Lasker, Vaisakh Rajeev, Amy Hermann, Simon Ellis

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 13100, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation VI; 1310069 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3018485
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Conference Poster

Abstract

We seek to advance the capabilities of photonic technologies in support of ground-based infrared astronomy. Currently, observations in the wavelength range 1.0μm < λ < 2.5μm suffer from an irreducible background generated by emission from OH (hydroxyl) molecules in the upper atmosphere. Placing instruments in space is one solution, but these are significantly more expensive and much harder (and more dangerous) to maintain and upgrade. Meanwhile, narrow-band notch filters incorporated into the optical path of ground-based astronomical instruments can suppress this background with very little accompanying loss of signal from the astronomical sources of interest. Micron-scale ring resonators are one technology that provides a promising method of generating such notch filters. Building on our previous efforts in astrophotonic technology development, our current goals are 1) to optimize the design of ring resonators so that the notch filters they create provide greatest suppression at the wavelengths of the most prominent OH lines, and 2) to optimize the coupling of the resonator-equipped silicon devices with the input fibers (from the sky) and output fibers (to the spectrograph and detector) such that the throughput losses do not completely eliminate the signal-to-noise improvement gained from the OH suppression. To accomplish the former, we introduce heaters that can actively change the wavelength of the notch filters to match the OH emission lines, as well as mechanisms for polarization-dependent and -independent suppression. To accomplish the latter, we incorporate post-fabrication packaging of fibers to ensure optimal alignment.

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Kyler Kuehn, Thomas Kelley, Steve Kuhlmann, Robert Kehoe, James Lasker, Vaisakh Rajeev, Amy Hermann, and Simon Ellis "Tunable dual-polarization photonic ring resonator filters for OH-suppressed ground-based astronomy", Proc. SPIE 13100, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation VI, 1310069 (26 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3018485

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