Daily Image
12-08-2009
First Tip/Tilt mirror prototype cryogenicly operational
| Submitter: | Eddy Elswijk |
| Description: | For the 4 beam VLT interferometer "MATISSE" (M,L and N-band) a cryogenic and remote-controlled tip-tilt mirror mechanism was designed by Janssen Precision Engineering (JPE). The mechanism is intended to co-align the various beam combinations on the detector, causing them to interfere. The mechanism consists of 2 Piezolegs (Made by Piezomotor), a chassis with flexible hinges and bearings. It has been demonstrated that this mechanism can function below temperatures of 40K (23K in fact) with an accuracy of 0.25 arcseconds. Although improvements have to be made, better to incorporate the mechanism into the instrument, these results clear the path for cryogenic alignment of the interferometer. For MIDI this was done manually, by warm-angle correction of the mirrors. Editorial board: Can you please make a slideshow of the 4 pictures loaded to H:EVERYONEElswijk ? |
| Copyright: | NOVA /JPE |
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