A. Ghasempour, D. Alexandre, C. Brites, P. Moreira, F. Reynaud, P. V. S. Marques, A. M. P. Leite, P. J. V. Garcia
Abstract
Integrated optics is a mature technology with standard applications to telecommunications. Since the pioneering work of Berger et al. 1999 beam combiners for optical interferometry have been built using this technology. Classical integrated optics device production is very expensive and time consuming. The rapid production of devices using hybrid sol-gel materials in conjunction with UV laser direct writing techniques allows overcoming these limitations. In this paper this technology is tested for astronomical applications. We report on the design, fabrication and characterization of multiaxial two beam combiners and a coaxial beam combiner for astronomical interferometry. Different multiaxial two beam combiner designs were tested and high contrast (better than 90%) was obtained with a 1.3 µm laser diode and with an SLD ( λ0 = 1.26 µm, FWHM of 60 nm). High contrast fringes were produced with 1.3 µm laser diode using the coaxial two beam combiner. These results show that hybrid sol-gel techniques produce devices with high quality, allowing the rapid prototyping of new designs and concepts for astronomy.
Optical and Infrared Interferometry
M. Schöller, W. C. Danchi, F. Delplancke
SPIE
Volume 7013, Page 701317
2008 July
