Fibre-optic apparatus

Tender description

The Scope of this requirement is for the front-end fibre assembly micro lens and micro lens assembly for the MOONS project. For detailed specification please see document VLT-SPE-MON-14620-1008. MOONS (Multi-Objects Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph) is a new concept for an astronomical spectrograph for the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT). It has been selected by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in response to a call for proposals for the development of 3rd generation instrumentation. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), through its UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UKATC), requires a Baseplate for the Fibre Positioning Module to be manufactured and machined as part of the MOONS project. The MOONS Spectrograph design consists of two identical cryogenic spectrographs. Each spectrograph incorporates three cameras fed by fibre optics. The Spectrograph includes a Fibre Positioning Module which will employ 1001 robotic fibre positioners to simultaneously position optical fibres onto individual sky objects for a highly multiplexed spectrographic survey. The fibre positioners are fixed to a baseplate which orients each one such that it is aligned with the chief ray from the telescope optics and instrument field corrector. This orientation is the critical performance parameter for the instrument front end mechanical system. The Scope of this requirement is for the front-end fibre assembly micro lens and micro lens assembly for the MOONS project. For detailed specification please see document VLT-SPE-MON-14620-1008.