Fiber Optics in Astronomy

Technological progress in areas such as optical system manufacturing, detectors for the visual and near-infrared, computers, electronics, real-time control, etc. has enabled tremendous progress in our understanding of the universe through observations with telescopes on the ground and in space. Specifically, spectroscopy has been key to the quantitative analysis of the chemical composition of the sun, distant stars, the interstellar medium, gas clouds, stellar populations and gas in distant galaxies, even out to the edge of the observable universe, as well as the quest for the search of life on planets orbiting other stars. Reaching back as early as 1977, the use of optical fibers has been fundamental for astronomical instrumentation/spectroscopy.

In this webinar hosted by the Fiber Optics Technology and Applications Technical Group, Martin Roth will review the achievements made with fiber-based spectrographs, focusing on multiplex spectroscopy and ultra-high stability spectroscopy, both of which are unique technologies that are rarely found in industrial applications, yet have a significant potential for technology transfer. The webinar will close with specialty fiber applications for astronomy that are still in an experimental stage, and an outlook into the emerging field of astrophotonics.

What You Will Learn:
• Advance of high multiplex fiber-based spectroscopy
• Challenges and solutions for ultra-high stability spectroscopy at high spectral resolution
• Promising fiber technologies, e.g. aperiodic FBG filters, photonic lanterns

Who Should Attend:
• Scientists with an interest in spectroscopy
• Optical engineers
• Technology transfer officers

About the Presenter: Martin M. Roth from Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam

Martin Roth (Astronomer) served as Research Assistant at Universitäts-Sternwarte München from 1986 to 1991. He then became an Observer at Wendelstein Observatory in 1991 before joining AIP in 1994, where he worked as Head of Program until 2023. At AIP, he was instrumental in developing integral field spectrographs like PMAS, VIRUS, and MUSE, and contributed to projects such as MOSAIC and BlueMUSE. From 2009 to 2013, Martin has been the Chair of innoFSPEC Potsdam, an innovation center for fiber-based spectroscopy and sensing. He was a Professor at the Institute for Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, from 2011 until April 2023. Since his retirement from teaching, he continues to work full-time in the Astrophotonics department at AIP with responsibility for the development of the Institute for Technology (ITE) at the emerging Deutsches Zentrum für Astrophysik (DZA) in Görlitz.