arXiv subjects

Eirini Tagkoudi

Publications and source records attributed to Eirini Tagkoudi.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Motorized Mount for the 3-DoF Folding Mirror 2 of the VLT's BlueMUSE Instrument

BlueMUSE is a blue-optimized, medium spectral resolution, panoramic integral field spectrograph under development for the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The project is now fully entering design phase. With an optimized transmission down to 350 nm, spectral resolution of R~3500 on average across the wavelength range, and a large FoV (1 arcmin2), BlueMUSE will open up a new range of galactic and extragalactic science cases facilitated by its specific capabilities. To meet the stability demands required for BlueMUSE, motorized mounts for precise and repeatable positioning of key optics are developed. This paper explores candidate mechanical designs for BlueMUSE's Folding Mirror 2 (FM2), a high-precision mirror mount with three degrees-of-freedom: tip, tilt rotations, and vertical translation. The study includes a comparative performance analysis through theoretical simulations, details the mechanical, software and electronics architecture of the chosen design, as well as the dedicated optical setup design to characterize repeatability, precision, and thermal stability. The resulting performance of the chosen FM2 mount is then evaluated against the specified requirements for BlueMUSE.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2018

Highly efficient 4 micron light generation through fs-fiber laser driven supercontinuum in Si$_3$N$_4$ waveguides

Directly accessing the middle infrared, the molecular functional group spectral region, via supercontinuum generation processes based on turn-key fiber lasers offers the undeniable advantage of simplicity and robustness. Recently, the assessment of the coherence of the mid-IR dispersive wave in silicon nitride waveguides, pumped at telecom wavelength, established an important first step towards mid-IR frequency comb generation based on such compact systems. Yet, the spectral reach and efficiency still fall short for practical implementation. Here, we experimentally demonstrate for the first time to our knowledge, that fs-fiber laser driven systems based on large-cross section silicon nitride waveguides can reach, with powers sufficient to drive dual-comb spectroscopy, the important greenhouse gases spectral region near 4 micron, typically accessed through different frequency generation or more complex approaches. We show, from a 2 micron femtosecond fiber laser, up to 30% power conversion and milliwatt-level output powers, proving that such sources are suitable candidate for compact, chip-integrated spectroscopic and sensing applications.

physics.optics↗