Key Technology Network for Astronomy: Enabling Technologies for Future Telescope and Instrument Development

1. Opticon Key Technologies Network Colin Cunningham 10th Sept 2007

2. Scope & Objectives • Objectives – from Contract • To identify key technology needs • Look for opportunities which technology developments in other sectors provide for astronomy • Encourage European collaborative technology development projects • Provide a forum for discussing potential routes for further development • Scope: • The focus of the KTN activities is enabling technologies • The KTN supports the development of facilities (telescopes) as well as instruments • The core activity of the KTN is in the wavelength region 300 nm to 35 µm. • The KTN supports a balanced portfolio of low risk and high risk technology developments • The KTN supports the integration of telescope and instrument test facilities.

3. Key Technology Network • Core Team • Colin Cunningham (Chair & JRA5) • Norbert Hubin (JRA1) • Philippe Feautrier (JRA2) • Henk Spruit (JRA3) • Alain Chelli (JRA4) • Filippo Zerbi (JRA6) • Bernhard Brandl (Leiden) • Alan Bridger (UK ATC) • Pierre Kern (Grenoble) • Gavin Dalton (RAL & Oxford) • Carlos Martin (IAC) • Goeran Olofsson (Stockholm) • Martin Roth (Potsdam) • Manager – Callum Norrie (UK ATC) • Associate Team • Eli Atad (UK ATC) • Derek Ives (UK ATC) • Roger Haynes (AAO) • Fabio Bortoletto (Padua) • Gert Finger (ESO) • Norbert Kappelmann (Tuebingen) • Graham Peggs (NPL) • Michael Redfern (Galway) • Jeremy Allington-Smith (Durham) • Christian Erd (ESA) • Michael Andersen (Potsdam) • Gunther Wiedemann (Hamburg) • Suzanne Ramsay Howat (UK ATC) • Lars Venema (Astron) • Klaus Strassmeier (Potsdam) • Peter Hastings (UK ATC) • Remko Stuik (Leiden) • Roland Lemke (Bochum) • Lorenzo Zago (CSEM) • David Walker (UCL) • Eric Prieto (LAM) • David Robertson (Durham) • Jean-Gabriel Cuby (LAM) • Roland Bacon (CRAL) • Enzo Brunetto (ESO) • Nick Waltham (RAL) • Lars Venema (Astron) • Klaus Strassmeier (Potsdam) • Peter Hastings (UK ATC) • Remko Stuik (Leiden) • Roland Lemke (Bochum) • Lorenzo Zago (CSEM) • David Walker (UCL) • Eric Prieto (LAM) • David Robertson (Durham) • Jean-Gabriel Cuby (LAM) • Roland Bacon (CRAL) • Enzo Brunetto (ESO) • Nick Waltham (RAL

4. Working Method • Core Team – based round JRA leaders • Associate team – contribute where appropriate • Twiki – interactive website https://ssl.roe.ac.uk/twiki/bin/view/Optikeytec/WebHome • Meeting alongside Opticon reviews and SPIE meetings at Glasgow & Orlando • Specific Workshops focussed on science-driven technology challenges • Roadmap development

5. time Science Goals Facility,MissionorInstrument Technology Technology Planning: Roadmap

6. Roadmapping Process

8. Technology threads and outcomes • William Herschel Telescope Laser Guide Star and AO Testbed > FP7 Proposal • Cooled Deformable mirrors > FP7 proposal • Smart Instrument Technologies > FP7 Proposal • Optical components for ELT Instruments • IR Detectors > UK study with Industry • Astrophotonics > FP7 Proposal

9. Major Meetings • Core Team Meeting – Glasgow, June 04 • Core Team Meeting & Technology Roadmap for ELT – Grenoble, Oct 04 • Challenges in Optics for ELT Instruments – Rome, Oct 05 • AO Roadmap Workshop – Paris, March 06 • Core Team Meeting & FP7 Roadmap – Orlando, May 06 • Astro-Photonica Europa – Edinburgh, August 06 • Smart Focal Planes Roadmap – Neuchatel, Dec 05 • WHT Testbed Meeting – La Palma, Oct 06 • Smart Instrument Technologies – Leiden, April 07

10. La Palma Testbed GLAS WHT Rayleigh LGS Facility Test, May 2007 Photo: Tibor Agocs, ING

11. IR Detectors • Study project with QinetiQ and RAL started with UK funding • Also new technology from SELEX Sensors in UK • Interest from E2V and Sofradir • Planning joint workshop

12. AstroPhotonics Jeremy Allington-Smith, Durham University AstroPhotonica Europa is a partnership to exploit photonic principles for astronomy, using and enriching the existing research and industrial infrastructure. The primary goal is to make instruments for Extremely Large Telescopes affordable and practicable by exploiting photonic principles. Telecommunications has been the main driver for photonic innovation so far. • Future generation of extremely large telescopes may be contingent on the use of photonic devices, including integrated spectrographs, dispersers, beam combiners and photonic crystal fibres. • Although the potential of photonics has been demonstrated, much is still needed to develop practical, efficient devices • It will build on the lead in instrument innovation already established by Europe and its strategic partners. There are opportunities for synergy with the life sciences and earth observation. • Benefits from this programme will flow back to industry to enhance European expertise in a strategically-important sector

13. Planned Future Meetings • Astro-Photonica Europa – October 07, Grenoble • WHT Testbed Meeting – December 07 TBC • IR Detectors Astronomy Requirements and European Industry Capabilities (in prep) • Technology Roadmap Update Workshop

14. Publications & Dissemination • IAU Symposium 232: Scientific Requirements for ELTs, Cape Town, Nov 2005 • Novel Technologies required to meet ELT science challenges, Cunningham & Crampton • SPIE Symposium Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, Orlando, May 2006 • Plenary Presentation: Novel Technology for Optical and Infrared Astronomy, Colin Cunningham • Follow up invited talk at NASA Goddard Nov 2007 • Challenges in optics for Extremely Large Telescope instrumentation, Spano et al • Astron. Nachr. / AN 999, No. 88, 789 – 811 (2006) • Towards the European ELT, Marseille Nov 2006 • Overview of the FP6 ELT Instrumentation Program & Technology Challenges for ELT Instruments Colin Cunningham • A target selection system for ELT multi-object instruments: system and trade-off analysis Eric Prieto • IR Detectors Gavin Dalton

15. Balance of FP7 R&D programme • Must balance: • Near Term v. Long Term • High Risk/High Gain v. Low Risk/Certain return • Innovative v. Conservative • Generic v. Specific • We should aim for a balanced portfolio

16. Objectives Achieved • To identify key technology needs • IR Detectors, Large Optics, Astrophotonics, AO components and systems, Smart Instrument Technologies • Look for opportunities which technology developments in other sectors provide for astronomy • Astrophotonics, IR Detectors • Encourage European collaborative technology development projects • WHT Testbed, Astrophotonics, Smart Instrument Technologies, AO • Provide a forum for discussing potential routes for further development • Through 9 Meetings & Workshops, and 4 more to come

17. Follow on: FP7 Opticon Key Technology Network • The KTN has proved to be a valuable mechanism for bringing partners together to address technology requirements and bid for new projects • While some of the Technology Planning activities should be carried out within JRAs, it is useful to generate cross-connections and stimulate innovative new technologies by a wider technology network • The Technology Roadmap for Optical & IR Astronomy needs to be continually updated to deal with a changing scientific, programmatic, technical and political environment • I Propose that the activity be continued in FP7 with a similar level of funding