Design of a new 1-5.5-um infrared camera for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility

John T. Rayner; Mark A. Shure; Douglas W. Toomey; Peter M. Onaka; Anthony J. Denault; Werner E. Stahlberger; Darryl Y. Watanabe; K. Criez; Louis Robertson; Daniel Cook; Michael J. Kidger

doi:10.1117/12.158701

20 October 1993 Design of a new 1-5.5-μm infrared camera for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility

John T. Rayner, Mark A. Shure, Douglas W. Toomey, Peter M. Onaka, Anthony J. Denault, Werner E. Stahlberger, Darryl Y. Watanabe, K. Criez, Louis Robertson, Daniel Cook, Michael J. Kidger

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 1946, Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.158701
Event: Optical Engineering and Photonics in Aerospace Sensing, 1993, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

The design of a multipurpose 1 - 5.5 micrometers infrared camera (NSFCAM) for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, is described. The camera is built around the new 256 X 256 InSb array manufactured by Santa Barbara Research Center (SBRC) and incorporates a variety of observing modes to fulfill its role as a major facility instrument. These include three remotely-selectable image scales, a selection of fixed bandpass filters, R equals 50 - 100 spectral resolution circularly variable filters, a grism, coronographic masks, and a polarization imaging capability. Through the use of flexible array clocking schemes, driven by programmable digital signal processors (DSPs), we plan to implement several new operating modes, including real-time shift and add for image stabilization, and fast subarray readouts for occultations. Simultaneous optical and infrared imaging of the same field will be possible through the use of a cold dichroic beamsplitter. This feature is primarily intended for use with the IRTF tip-tilt image stabilization system currently being built. Given a suitable guide star, the camera should achieve near-diffraction limited imaging at 2 - 5 micrometers . In this paper we discuss the design of the optics, cryogenic, electronics and software needed to provide the camera with these capabilities.

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John T. Rayner, Mark A. Shure, Douglas W. Toomey, Peter M. Onaka, Anthony J. Denault, Werner E. Stahlberger, Darryl Y. Watanabe, K. Criez, Louis Robertson, Daniel Cook, and Michael J. Kidger "Design of a new 1-5.5-μm infrared camera for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility", Proc. SPIE 1946, Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation, (20 October 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.158701

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