Astronomy
Spatial / Astronomy
Since 1987, LVF is the reference company for astronomy developments operating in K-band (1.9 µm – 2.4 µm). For more than 35 years, cutting edge solutions and mid-infrared fibers have been developed to comply needs of the most innovative astronomical projects:
- Telescope coupling:
Ultra low-loss, low birefingence, low dispersion single mode ZBLAN fiber in K-band (1.9 µm – 2.4 µm) - Mode scrambling:
Octagonal core multimode fiber for mode scrambling in K-band - Polarization rotator
Fluoride fiber subsystem to align interferometer arms polarizations in order to optimize its contrast - Differential delay line
Low birefringence and homogeneous fiber segments in terms of dispersion to equilibrate optical paths - Fused X fiber coupler
centered @ 2.2 µm
Projects involving Le Verre Fluoré Mid IR fiber technology include:
- AVIRIS (Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer)
- FLUOR (Fiber Linked Unit for Optical Recombination)
- OHANA (Optical Hawaiian Array for Nanoradian Astronomy):
In case of the OHANA project, 300 m segments of very low attenuation ZBLAN low birefringence single mode fibers had to be drawn. Pairs of 300 m fibers segments had to exhibit very low differential chromatic dispersion. Those fibers are integrated at Mauna Kea Peak (Hawaii) and are used to recombine 7 telescopes together.
- GRAVITY (second-generation very large telescope instrument for precision narrow-angle astrometry and interferometric imaging):
In the case of the GRAVITY project, unique low birefringence fluoride fibers, combining very low attenuation and dispersion, had to be designed and integrated in a system including a delay line and a polarization rotator. Thanks to this system, astronomers can now observe blackholes with a higher resolution. (click here to learn more)
- SPIRou (Near-Infrared Spectropolarimeter for the 3.6 m Canada France Hawaii Telescope):
In the case of the SPIRou project, ultra low loss fluoride optical fibers and unique octagonal fluoride fibers were required. Those fibers are now integrated in a near infrared spectropolarimeter and a high precision velocimeter. The main scientific objectives of astronomers are the detection of habitable super-Earths around low-mass stars and the study of the magnetic topology of primal stars. (click here to learn more)
- EXOMARS (Exobiology on Mars):
In the case of the EXOMARS project, Le Verre Fluoré developed a fiber optic temperature sensor. This sensor was calibrated in order to measure the CO2 radiations at 2.8 µm and 4.5 µm at the entry of EXOMARS in the Martian atmosphere. (click here to learn more)
