Optical Detector Systems at the European Southern Observatory Dietrich Baade & Optical Detector Team (ODT) Work at ESO on infrared detectors covered in: Dorn et al. Finger et al. Mehrgan et al. Beletic et al. Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO

The ODT Themes VLT 2nd generation instruments: X-shooter – the 0.3-to-2.4 μm rapid-response spectro-cannon MUSE – the cosmic inventory taker VLT projects in their own right but with an additional view of getting ready for OWL: Shift in emphasis from scientific imaging to signal sensing: Without AO, ELTs will not bring any improvement. The MAD adaptive optics system tests enabling technology with bright natural guide stars. The OPTICON project with e2v L3 Vision technology aims to push this towards the ultra-low noise domain. The New General detector Controller (NGC) is a key stepping stone. More to come OmegaCAM for the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO

Multi-conjugated Adaptive Optics Demonstrator MAD tests two wavefront-sensing (WFS) concepts: star oriented, using multiple Shack-Hartmann (SH) systems layer oriented (LO), using multiple pyramids 3 SHWFS + 2 LOWFS detector systems with e2v CCD39 devices (80 x 80 pixels) Only one method used at a time One FIERA controller Up to 400 frames/s (500 frames/s with 2x2 binning) Considerably exceeds original FIERA spec of 1 Mpixel/s Read noise: ~7 e- Reiss et al. Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO

Next-generation Wavefront Sensing: OPTICON and e2v L3 Vision Technology AO systems for 2nd-gen. VLT instruments and OWL require: >1,000 actuators (→ >1,000 x 6x6 pixels) ~1 kHz frame rate negligible read noise even when photon noise ~100% high movability (→ no real cryogenics → dark current) OPTICON project received funding from EU Commission CCD220 being developed by e2v 1 system foreseen for HAWK-I, 4 for MUSE Downing et al. Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO

OmegaCAM (1° x 1° imager) Three FIERAs and 32 (+4) e2v CCD44-82 devices Very robust since first switch-on The coordination of autoguiding, closed-loop wavefront sensing, and shutter control is one of the show pieces. Built as designed Commissioning in 2006 Strict attention to safety Extensive detector characterization on ESO’s test bench Innovative cooling system very effective Iwert et al. Christen et al. (2x) Lizon et al. Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO

X-shooter Basically a single-mode VLT Cassegrain instrument for singular events (`point and shoot´) Simultaneous wavelength coverage 0.3 – 2.4 μm First ESO instrument to bridge the 1-micron barrier 2 optical arms (e2v CCD44-82 and MIT/LL CCID-20) 1 IR arm (Rockwell Hawaii-2 RG) 1 IRACE and 1 FIERA controller each FIERA software defines 2 fully independent virtual cameras on one common DFE Approaching Final Design Review Commissioning in 2008 Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO

Multi-unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) Twenty-four separate detector systems 4K x 4K CCDs (or 2 x 1 mosaics) 465 – 930 nm: high red response is mission critical Need to save mass and volume Must ease AIT Reliability will be vital First optical instrument to use NGC 2nd-generation cryostat head Prototype detector system at the end of 2006 Reiss et al. Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO

Cryostat Cleanliness and Control Plasma cleaning: fast, effective, low risk, low operating cost excellent results with big OmegaCAM cryostat Deiries et al. H20 exorcism baking of CCDs in gas stream accidental (re-)discovery PULPO2 housekeeping unit with enhanced shutter ( ) and temperature control temperature and pressure monitoring Reif et al. Geimer et al. Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO

New General detector Controller (NGC) In the decade since 1998, a total of 30 FIERA and IRACE systems will be deployed. Extremely successful (nearly negligible telescope downtime) but some other limitations: mass, volume, power dissipation obsolete components voltage range and swing speed, number of channels 2 successes (= 2 costs) Proto-type of joint successor NGC has seen `first light´ First deployments: KMOS (2009) and MUSE (2011) Meyer et al. Cumani et al. Reyes et al. a Dietrich Baade & ODT: Optical Detector Systems at ESO