CREATING TEST MECHANISMS FOR SILICON SUBSTRATE BASED (SSB) DEVICES FOR USE IN FAR-IR TO MILLIMETER ASTROPHYSICAL SPECTROSCOPY

This master’s thesis discusses the technology development, use cases, supporting hardware, and developed models for two instruments based on similar technology – the Fabry Perot Interferometer (FPI) for use in EoR-Spec instrument and the Virtually Imaged Phase Array (VIPA) spectrograph for use in the POEMM (Planetary Origins and Evolution Multispectral Monochromator) instrument. This paper is divided into three chapters: Chapter I, ‘The tip-tilt mechanism’, answers the question of how to design a tip-tilt mechanism for a silicon based FPI. By rotating the FPI at variable, measurable angles in either direction relative to the incoming beam with one degree rotation increments, while it is cooled in a cryostat, we can measure the spectral profile of the FPI. This chapter also provides some technical background that is helpful for understanding the POEMM and EoR-Spec instruments discussed in chapters two and three. Chapter II, ‘POEMM and VIPA’, has two parts. The first walks through the development of a model of what the VIPA spectroscopy instrument should detect while searching for protoplanetary disks. The next describes the development and laboratory testing of the VIPA instrument. POEMM will use a VIPA to spectrally resolve the: [OI] fine-structure line at 63 um, HD J=1-0 and J=2-1 rotational lines at 112 and 56 um, H2O rotational lines at 40.7 and 46.5 um lines, and H2O ice bands between 35 to 70 microns. POEMM focuses on revealing the evolution of the planet-forming mass around a protostar, the changes in distribution and composition of the material in protoplanetary disks over time, gaseous matter dissipation via winds or outflows, and composition of planetesimals that shape terrestrial and gas-giant cores. Chapter III, ‘EoR-Spec’, answers the question of which components to use to adjust the FPI spectroscopy instrument. For the EoR-Spec instrument, the Si-based mirrors/filters will be used for the FPI. This FPI will be built with a resolving power of about R~100. The science cases for EoR-Spec are line intensity mapping, focusing on the [CII] 158 um line and the [OIII] 88 um line that can be used to reveal the processes of reionization and galaxy formation in the early Universe. [CII] and [OIII] are prime candidates for this science because they are bright and associated with star formation. The [OIII] line traces gas in HII regions formed by OB stars, while the [CII] line arises from nearby neutral gas clouds heated by OB star radiation.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S., Astronomy and Space Sciences

Level thesis:degree_level

Master of Science

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Astronomy and Space Sciences

Grantor

Cornell University

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Linevsky, Jacquelyn

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Herter, Terry
• Lewis, Nikole

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

http://doi.org/10.7298/7phr-sk40

Dc Identifier Other

ProQuest Submission ID: 12013
ProQuest Publication ID: 30813256

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ecommons.cornell.edu:1813/115623