Equipment for ELT instrument development at Durham University

The Applicants from the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI) at Durham University are leading a number of critical work packages funded by PPRP as part of the UK Extremely Large Telescope program.

These span the full range of technology readiness levels, from final design, build and of the Adaptive Optics Real Time Controller (RTC) and Low-order Wavefront Sensor (LOWFS) for HARMONI, the first light spectrograph for the ELT, through the conceptual design and prototyping for the AO system for MOSAIC, to the early simulation and breadboard development for a novel ultrafast WFS for extreme Adaptive Optics based on combining super-conducting quantum detectors with a pyramid WFS.

All of these research activities are key to delivering ongoing UK leadership in the instrument development for the ELT.

We propose to purchase three critical pieces of equipment that will underpin the activities specifically for the low TRL work being led by CfAI.

This new equipment will enable us to accelerate the pace of our research and take us to a position where we can lead key aspects of future instrument development, both for the ELT and beyond.