Fiber-connectorized ultrafast-laser-inscribed K-band integrated optics beam combiner for the CHARA telescope array.

A fiber-connectorized K-band integrated-optics two-telescope beam combiner was developed for long-baseline interferometry at the CHARA telescope array utilizing the ultrafast laser inscription (ULI) technique. Single-mode waveguide insertion losses were measured to be ∼1.1 over the 2-2.

The science of exoplanets and their systems.

A scientific forum on "The Future Science of Exoplanets and Their Systems," sponsored by Europlanet and the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) and co-organized by the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) of the University of Bern, was held during December 5 and 6, 2012, in Bern, Switzerland. It gathered 24 well-known specialists in exoplanetary, Solar System, and stellar science to discuss the future of the fast-expanding field of exoplanetary research, which now has nearly 1000 objects to analyze and compare and will develop even more quickly over the coming years. The forum discussions included a review of current observational knowledge, efforts for exoplanetary atmosphere characterization and their formation, water formation, atmospheric evolution, habitability aspects, and our understanding of how exoplanets interact with their stellar and galactic environment throughout their history.

Method of estimating time scales of the atmospheric piston and its application at Dome C (Antarctica).

Analysis of the first interferometric fringes recorded at Dome C, Antarctica are presented. Measurements were taken 31 January and 1 February 2005 during daytime. Our purpose in performing the analysis was to measure temporal fluctuations of the atmospheric piston, which are critical for interferometers, and determine their sensitivity.

Infrared single-mode fiber-optic Fourier-transform spectrometry and double Fourier interferometry.

An infrared single-mode fiber-optic Fourier-transform spectrometer constructed for the demonstration of the technique is described, in which beam splitting and beam combining are performed with fiber-optic directional couplers and the optical path difference scan is generated by stretching fibers. Experiments done with this fiber-optic Fourier-transform spectrometer are presented. A spectral resolution of 1328 at 2.

Performance analyses of an infrared single-mode all-fiber-optic Fourier-transform spectrometer.

Stretching one of a pair of fiber arms can be done to realize optical phase modulation for an IR single-mode all-fiber-optic Fourier-transform spectrometer (FTS). But this operation will inevitably limit the physical performance of a FTS. We study these limits theoretically and experimentally.