MAORY Calibration Unit design status
MAORY Calibration Unit design status
MAORY Calibration Unit design status
ABSTRACT
MAORY (Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics RelaY) is one of the first light instruments for the ESO Extremely
Large Telescope (ELT). It will be firstly used by MICADO (Multi-AO Imaging CamerA for Deep
Observations), a near-infrared high-angular resolution imager, to compensate aberrations and provide high-
Strehl images within a 53”×53” Field of View (FoV). The complexity of MAORY requires calibration
functionalities for both the AIV (Assembly-Integration-Verification) and the operational phase. The
Calibration Unit (CU), providing suitable light sources, both Natural Guide Stars (NGS) and Laser Guide Stars
(LGS), will enable MAORY to run calibration templates as well as verification and test procedures, in
standalone mode, drastically reducing the amount of required night-time for such operations. An overview of
the instrument, the current status of the design and the main challenges to face in the future are here presented.
1 Introduction
MAORY (Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics RelaY) is a post-focal adaptive optics module, based on
Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics [1]. It is designed to enable high-angular resolution observations in
the near infrared by correcting in real-time the wavefront distortions due to atmospheric turbulence
and other disturbances, such as wind action on the telescope, over a large Field of View (FoV).
It shall support MICADO (Multi-AO Imaging Camera for Deep Observations), which needs stable
and sharp images across a large FoV (53”×53”) in the near-infrared (0.8-2.4 um) by offering two
correction modes: Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) and Single-Conjugate Adaptive Optics
(SCAO). The MCAO mode achieves spatially uniform adaptive optics compensation over the
scientific field of view with high sky coverage; wavefront sensing is performed by up to six artificial
Laser Guide Stars (LGS) and up to three Natural Guide Stars (NGS), respectively for the
measurement of high- and low-order wavefront perturbations; wavefront compensation is performed
by adaptive Deformable Mirrors (DMs) in MAORY, which work with the telescope’s adaptive and
tip-tilt mirrors M4 and M5 respectively.
The optical relay, supported by a structure mounted on the telescope Nasmyth platform in a gravity
invariant configuration, re-images the telescope focal plane for the science instruments and offers a
provision for a second port for a future instrument, as well. The relay has to provide up to two DMs
in the optical relay, one DM being the minimum to perform MCAO correction in conjunction with
the telescope’s adaptive mirrors.
The light of six LGSs, launched from the edge of the telescope aperture and fixed with respect to the
telescope pupil, is focused by an LGS objective and selected by pick-off mirrors, which feed the six
probes of the LGS wavefront sensor (LGS WFS), consisting of six Shack-Hartmann (SH) wavefront
sensors (WFSs) of 80x80 sub-apertures, each one sampling a LGS located at 45” far from the
MICADO FoV centre.
At the exit focal plane of the MAORY optical relay, the light of up to three NGSs over a patrol field
of view of 160” angular diameter is selected by three pick-off mirrors and fed into the NGS wavefront
sensor module (LOR). Each NGS wavefront sensor probe consists of two channels: Low-Order (LO)
channel, including a 2×2 SH WFS working in H-band at adaptive optics speed, and Reference (REF)
channel, including a 10×10 SH WFS working in R-band at slow speed, with the function of de-
trending the LGS WFS measurements from spurious effects associated to the sodium layer features.
The real-time computer collects the signals from all WFS channels and computes the commands for
the post-focal DM and for the telescope adaptive and tip-tilt mirrors, in order to perform the MCAO
correction. The baseline wavefront reconstruction approach is Pseudo-Open Loop Control.
MAORY is required to deliver a Strehl Ratio (SR) of 0.3 (goal 0.5) at K-band over a 1’ FoV with
50% sky coverage.
MAORY is currently in ESO’s phase B (preliminary design), with the Preliminary Design Review
(PDR) scheduled for the first quarter of 2021, and the first-light expected in 2026.
Fig.1 – MAORY (on the right) and MICADO (tower structure on the left) on the ELT Nasmyth Platform.
The black arrow indicates the position of the CU (green volume) within the MAORY Main Structure (cage
structure), the red arrows indicate the position of the Telescope Focal Plane.
The Calibration Unit [2] (CU), providing suitable light sources, will enable MAORY to run
calibration templates (such as wavefront sensors calibrations, Non-Common-Path Aberrations
calibration and tomographic reconstructor calibration), as well as verification and test procedures, in
standalone mode, drastically reducing the amount of required night-time for such operations.
The post-focal calibration unit will enable MAORY to run calibration templates as well as verification
and test procedures, independently from other activities happening at the telescope. Indeed, the
calibration unit will allow daytime or night-time calibrations at the Nasmyth platform in standalone
mode. The possibility to perform a large amount of calibrations, tests and verifications in standalone
mode will reduce the amount of required night-time, keeping the time spent on sky for essential
activities that cannot be performed otherwise.
The CU will be developed and integrated in Europe, where it will be fully characterized and tested.
The CU will not be used to fully test MAORY performances during the integration phase in Europe.
A specific subsystem, the Test&Verification Unit (TVU) is foreseen to meet this need. This sub-
system will actually share the majority of the CU components (mechanical structure, optical elements,
sources masks), but will be equipped with a commercial DM (to reproduce ELT M4 and introduce
turbulence in the MAORY path), that the CU does not need for its purposes.
Starting from the list of use cases (calibration plus test and verification use cases), the main design
drivers have been identified and then a list of requirements has been defined, summarized in Table 1.
Table 1. Main CU requirements. Four typologies of light sources, different in position, size, amount and quality
have to be provided, each one feeding the relative WFS: REF stands for “Reference”, LO stands for “Low-
Order”, MIC stands for “Micado”.
Beyond the previous (not exhaustive) list, some other important requirements and constraints have to
be considered:
- Focal plane f-number according to sources conjugation altitudes (ELT-like light sources)
- Focal plane curvature according to sources conjugation altitudes (ELT-like light sources)
- Common pupil for all the beams, about 100 mm in diameter (to implement a commercial DM)
- Need of some NGS-REF and NGS-LO coupled sources (with 500 mas of interaxial distance)
- Need to use at the same time 6 LGS plus 3 (coupled) NGS-LO/REF plus 9 MIC (at least)
- Mass budget: 350 kg
All these aspects make the CU design very challenging, and require some particular and non-standard
solutions which will need to be properly prototyped and tested.
3 Architecture
The CU architecture is shown in Fig.2. The instrument is divided into three main sub-systems:
- CU Electronics cabinet (CUE)
- CU Main Bench (CUMB)
- CU Folding Mirror (CUFM)
This division is both logical and physical, since no mechanical interface is foreseen among them.
Fig. 2 – CU architecture, with the various interfaces among sub-systems. SNS represents the sensors needed
to monitor environmental parameters.
The NGS light is produced by a broadband source placed in the Light Source Unit (LSU), and then
properly split in the Source Selector Unit (SSU), where all the required fibres are fed. Both
subsystems are placed inside the CU Electronics Cabinet (CUE), fixed on the Nasmyth Platform,
which also hosts all the devices necessary for the CU power supply and control. Fibres are stretched
up to the CU Main Bench (CUMB), reaching the NGS mask (NGSM).
LGS light is produced in a Light-Box, placed inside the CUMB close to the LGS focal planes, and
transmitted through a backlit pinhole mask. The assembly (LGSM) is moved by a linear stage, since
two conjugation altitudes are required for LGS sources (150 km and 104 km).
All the light sources, after passing through the CU optical system (OPT), are injected into the
MAORY path through a Selection Mirror (CUFM), and focus on the ELT focal plane, according to
their conjugation altitude.
4 Optical design
The baseline optical design, shown in Fig.3, consists of a catadioptric system, chosen mainly for its
compactness and very good optical performances. The largest optics (W and M1) are semi-
transmissive (50% transmission, 50% reflection), as well as the beam splitters BS2 and BS3, arranged
orthogonally to avoid the introduction of aberrations in the transmitted path (NGS path). The pupil
size (104 mm) is driven by the necessity to install a commercial DM, to mimic the pre-focal DM
(ELT M4), so that it is possible to fully test and verify MAORY during the integration phase. A large
Cube Beam Splitter (CBS) is needed to make the pupil available for DM insertion (TVU purposes).
Fig. 3 – CU optical design: catadioptric layout (baseline). The coloured arrows indicate the two optical paths:
LGS (orange, with the two flat mask planes, conjugated to 104 km and 150 km on sky) and NGS (black).
The CUFM (not represented) stands 950 mm over W and 250 mm before the Telescope Focal Plane.
The optical performances are shown in Fig. 4 and in Table 2.
Fig. 4 – CU optical performances (baseline design): spot diagrams for the NGS (left) and LGS (right) paths.
The maximum lateral shift in the NGS path is about 11 um.
Table 2. CU optical performances (baseline design): nominal rms wavefront error (WFE) compared with the
requirement.
The main possible criticalities of this solution, to address for the PDR, are related to the multiple reflections
(stray-light and polarization possible issues), the Beam Splitters size, and the coatings manufacturing.
An alternative solution, named “fully-refractive” and shown in Fig.5, has also been developed.
This layout is conceptually different from the baseline, since it is composed of refractive elements
only (except the beam splitter needed to combine NGS and LGS paths). Although the size of this
solution is still compatible with the volume of the MAORY Main Structure (MS) used to
accommodate the CU [3][4], it represents a clear drawback from the point of view of integration and
alignment. Moreover, the level of overall optical quality achieved with such a layout (lower than the
baseline design) rises some concerns about possible further developments in relation to the tight
project schedule. However, it is important to remark that the level of development of this second
optical layout is not comparable to that of the baseline layout, since, after a preliminary trade-off
study (showing that, despite some possible criticalities, the catadioptric solution has clear advantages
with respect to the full-refractive), the catadioptric solution has been chosen as baseline design and
all the effort has been put to its development.
Fig. 5 – CU optical layout (alternative). The coloured arrows indicate the two optical paths: LGS (orange),
NGS (black). Two optical components, indicated in the black box, have not been implemented in this model:
Cube Beam Splitter (needed to make the pupil available for DM insertion) and (thick) 45° Beam Combiner.
5 Mechanical design
The CU mechanical structure is composed of a base, made of commercial welded steel IPE profiles,
connected to the MAORY MS through three spherolinders [5]. The base sustains all the optics with
their optomechanics, including the tubular supports for the optics W, plus the NGSM and LGSM
assemblies.
The position of the whole CU is adjustable in all directions, thanks to systems of push-pull screws.
They are connected to each other through a frame (to rigidly move the CU keeping the same distances
among the connection points) that can be removed once the CU is correctly integrated and aligned.
The three spherolinders allow small movements and are thus able to compensate for eventual thermal
deformations.
Fig. 6 – CU mechanical design (work in progress): side view (left) and bottom view (right).
5.1 Optomechanics
The optics W is mounted on a ring, connected to the base through a set of tubular supports.
The optics M1 is supported through a whiffletree with 18 support areas (since the external part of the
lower surface is not crossed by the light), connected to the base through a set of tubular supports.
This combination of mountings, simulated through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and evaluated in
Zemax after an intermediate data post-process phase [6], introduces the lowest warping among all the
possible configurations considered for these two optics.
All the other optics have a ring mount, with the exception of the mirror M2, for which it is foreseen
a mount based on multipoint lower edge supports.
The warping maps of the main optics are shown in Fig.7.
Fig. 7 – Warping maps (not in scale) for the CU largest optics: W (ring mount, upper left), M1 (whiffletree,
upper right), BS3 (45° ring mount, lower left), M2 (multipoint lower edge mount, lower right).
Fig. 8 – The NGS curved sources mask, with 61 bayonet connectors. On the right: the mask mounted with its
adjustment system onto the CU structure (the arrow indicates the tool needed to mount/dismount the fibres).
The LGS source mask assembly consists of a backlit flat pinhole mask, 100 mm in diameter, with
two regular asterisms of six sources each, attached to a LightBox, fed by a set of LEDs and internally
coated with spectralon, to maximize its internal reflectivity. The whole assembly is mounted on a
linear stage, since the two conjugated altitudes determine a difference of 140 mm in the position of
the two mask planes.
Fig. 9 – LGSM concept: Light-Box preliminary mechanical design (left), simulation of the mixing chamber
(centre), preliminary mechanical design of the support structure for LGSM and linear stage (right).
Fig. 10 – The handling tools necessary to integrate the CU inside the MS, from the side indicated by the
arrow.
6 Transmission chain
The LGS light transmission chain is rather simple: the light is produced in the LGSM Light-Box and,
coming out from the pinholes, it is directly injected into the LGS path with the proper cone angle.
The flux is set at electronic level, through the LEDs dimmering system, based on Pulse-Width
Modulation (PWM).
The NGS light transmission chain, schematically shown in Fig. 11, is more complex. The use of
optical fibres seems mandatory in this case, considering the different wavelengths to be provided at
the same time and the size of the sources (required to be diffraction limited).
Fig. 11 – NGS transmission chain schemes, first draft of SSU mechanical design and some commercial
devices that will be used.
The Light Source Unit (LSU) hosts the physical source (named “lamp”), a sufficiently powerful and
stable broadband source, and a dichroic beam splitter (1 um cut-off wavelength), needed to split the
light into the two channels: REF channel (R-band), LO/MIC channel (H-band). Two different fibres
(one per channel) arrive at the Source Selection Unit (SSU). Here, the flux of each channel is first
adjusted through a Linear Neutral Density (ND) Filter moved by a linear stage, then injected into an
Integration Sphere (IS). This device represents a simple solution to couple two different fibres,
feeding all the fibres intended for the NGS mask: a single multimode fiber (input) with a multi-mode
fibre assembly (61 fibres, output) for the REF channel, a single multimode fiber (input) with a single-
mode fibre assembly (18 fibres, output). 18 cores of the REF channel output fibre assembly have to
be coupled with the 18 cores of the LO-MIC channel output fibre assembly, in order to obtain the
required 18 “coupled sources” (R-band + H-band).
Broadband collimators are used along the transmission chain to inject a beam into a fibre (and vice
versa) at: Dichroic BS level, ND filters level, ISs level.
Fig. 12 – The dual-core ferrule needed to realize the customized fibre carrying a double REF+LO source (R-
band + H-band), and the geometry of its cores.
The whole transmission chain has been analysed to evaluate the optical throughput for the NGS
channel and thus to identify the typology of physical source to use. The computed overall
transmission is very low, for two main reasons:
- the (baseline) optical design has a very low intrinsic throughput, since every pass through a
semi-transmissive optics cuts about half of the flux (overall attenuation factor of 0.59 for NGS);
- the attenuation due to the fiber coupling within the IS is very high, due to the geometrical factor
(final fibres core size VS beam coming out from the physical source) and to the IS efficiency.
A very powerful light source, with an output power of about 1 W is needed to cover all the flux range
required for the REF channel: a SuperContinuum [7] white light source would be sufficient.
The LO channel is more critical, because of a higher attenuation (due to the much smaller fibre core
size): it would require a more powerful light source, with respect to the previous case, and therefore
alternative concepts are under evaluation.
7 Electronics design
The Cabinet used for the CUE, inserted into the MAORY Control Hardware architecture [8], is
standard for all the MAORY subsystems and consists of a standard 19” cabinet from Schroff, with
external overall dimension of 600x800x2000 mm (42 U) and 250 kg of weight, equipped with a built-
in air/water heat exchanger.
The cabinet temperature will be managed by ESO Electronic Cabinet Thermal Control Unit. Two
fan-trays for airflow circulation are also foreseen, to ensure redundancy and a lower temperature
gradient. Temperature and humidity probes will monitor critical devices, minimizing possible risks.
The CU Internal Control Electronics (ICE) is based on the EtherCat fieldbus, according to ESO
standards, with the embedded PLC from Beckhoff as core part.
The architecture has been designed to be as modular as possible, in order to simplify integration tests
and maintenance operations.
Fig. 13 - CU Schroff Varistar LXH3 cabinet layout: cabinet structure (left), cabinet ventilation system
(centre), cabinet preliminary 3d model (right). The volumes labelled with LSU and SSU are oversized.
8 Error budget
A preliminary error budget, shown in Table 3, has been drafted for three CU paths: NGS-Ref (R-
band), LGS-104km, LGS-150km.
Although several contributions are still placeholders, defined according to the previous experience of
the team, this preliminary estimate of the error budget is useful to understand the specific weight of
the single contributions and the practical consequences on some CU design drivers, such as
optomechanical tolerances, optics manufacturing tolerances and system stability.
Starting from a higher nominal design residual aberration, the LGS configurations seem to be more
critical than the NGS ones. Nevertheless, the presence of a high-precision linear stage moving the
LGSM, allows a fine control and adjustment of the LGS mask focal position, managing to compensate
a part of the non-static induced aberrations (defocus due to thermal variation for instance).
This possibility is not foreseen for the NGS path at the moment, since the NGS source mask is fixed
on the CU structure, and equipped only with manual adjustments.
Table 3. Preliminary error budget defined for the configurations: NGS-Ref (0.8 um), LGS-104km, LGS-150km
(the total WFE is calculated in quadrature).
Considering the value of the total estimated wavefront error (WFE) for LGS (which exceeds the
allocated WFE budget), it is under evaluation to attach to the LGS mask (thus rigidly moving with it)
a Zernike phase mask that, working as a compensator, would be able to drastically reduce the nominal
residual optical aberrations for both the LGS configurations. This additional single piece of optics, to
design and produce after assembling and testing the whole CU, will have to be shaped differently
according to the positions of the two asterisms, as shown in Fig.14.
Fig. 14 – Footprints location and size for a Zernike phase mask positioned 20 mm before the LGS mask
plane.
9 Conclusion
The MAORY Calibration Unit design is proceeding fast towards the PDR, foreseen next April.
A preliminary error budget has been drafted, confirming that the 60 nm of WFE budget, defined for
both R-band and 589 nm sources, will be challenging to achieve. For this reason, the possibility to
insert an additional optical element (Zernike phase mask) attached to the LGS mask, is being
evaluated: this component, working as a compensator, would reduce the nominal residual aberrations
for the LGS optical path. Anyhow, this option would not improve the NGS optical quality.
Apart from this, the optical design is frozen and a tolerancing analysis will be performed for the PDR.
The level of detail of the mechanical design is advanced, with all the optomechanical mountings and
the mechanical interfaces defined.
FEAs have been carried out to properly dimension the optomechanics and to evaluate the optics
warping. By post-processing the warping maps, the contribution of the optics warping to the CU error
budget has been evaluated (#4 in Table 3).
These analyses will be repeated considering the effects of temperature variations into the operational
range, in order to evaluate the contribution of thermal stability (#5 in Table 3).
The whole transmission chain has been analysed to evaluate the optical throughput for the NGS and
LGS paths, showing some criticalities for the NGS H-band channel.
Finally, a study for the definition of tools and procedures necessary to assemble, test and integrate
the CU inside MAORY is ongoing.
Acknowledgments
References
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Conf. series, 012009, 2020
[3] De Caprio V., et al. “MAORY Main Structure design: general overview”, Proc. SPIE, 11448-
156, 2021 (publication pending)
[4] Cianniello V., et al. “Lightweighting strategies for Main Support Structures of ELT
instrumentation”, Proc. SPIE, 11451-128, 2020 (publication pending)
[5] http://www.g2-engineering.com/products-SPH
[6] Rodeghiero G., et al. “Towards an overall astrometric error budget with MICADO-MCAO”,
Proc. AO4ELT5, 2019
[7] https://www.nktphotonics.com/lasers-fibers/product-category/supercontinuum-lasers/
[8] Cascone E., et al. “MAORY Instrument Control Hardware: general overview”, Proc. SPIE,
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