Postdoctoral Fellowship: AAPF: Development of an MKID High Resolution Multi-Object Spectrometer

Lopez, Ronald A, Los Angles CA

Investigators

Abstract

Ronald A. López is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at University of California, Santa Barbara. López will apply new detector technology, MKIDs, to more conventional spectroscopic instrument architectures to develop a novel way to conduct multi-object high-resolution spectroscopy. The unique properties of these detectors can be used in modern spectrographs to discover and characterize exoplanets simultaneously, or take high-resolution spectra of star clusters without compromising spectral resolution. López will also work with the Center for Science and Engineering Partnership (CSEP) to develop and expand a new peer mentoring program specifically tailored toward community college transfer students. Conventional high-resolution spectrographs are typically designed to take spectra of single targets or very limited fields of view. On the other hand, multi-object spectrographs generally need to make compromises between spectral resolution, wavelength coverage, the number of targets, and instrument cost. This project will use microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) to pave the way towards developing a new class of high-resolution multi-object spectrographs (HRMOS) without the need to compromise resolution or coverage. The inherent energy resolution of the MKIDs can eliminate the requirement of a cross-dispersing element in a high-resolution spectrograph, freeing up valuable detector space that can be allocated to the spectra of multiple objects. Building on this proposed project, a future fiber-fed MKID HRMOS will be able to sample a comprehensive region around a star to detect and characterize exoplanet atmospheres using the high-dispersion coronagraphy technique. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.