1208.4418 (N. Cvetojevic et al.)

First starlight spectrum captured using an integrated photonic micro-spectrograph    [PDF]

N. Cvetojevic, N. Jovanovic, C. Betters, J. S. Lawrence, S. C. Ellis, G. Robertson, J. Bland-Hawthorn

Photonic technologies have received growing consideration for incorporation into next-generation astronomical instrumentation, owing to their miniature footprint and inherent robustness. In this paper we present results from the first on-telescope demonstration of a miniature photonic spectrograph for astronomy, by obtaining spectra spanning the entire H-band from several stellar targets. The prototype was tested on the 3.9 m Anglo-Australian telescope. In particular, we present a spectrum of the variable star Pi 01 Gru, with observed CO molecular absorption bands, at a resolving power R = 2500 at 1600 nm. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrate the simultaneous acquisition of multiple spectra with a single spectrograph chip by using multiple fibre inputs.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1208.4418