INTRODUCTION

Long Wavelength Infrared Camera (LWIRC): A 10 Micron Camera for the Keck Telescope

E.H. Wishnow, W.C. Danchi, P. Tuthill, R. Wurtz, J.G. Jernigan, J.F. Arens University of California Space Sciences Laboratory Berkeley, CA, 94720-7450 bV Division Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore CA 94550

Abstract:

The Long Wavelength Infrared Camera (LWIRC) is a facility instrument for the Keck Observatory designed to operate at the f/25 forward Cassegrain focus of the Keck I telescope. The camera operates over the wavelength band 7-13 $\mu$m using ZnSe transmissive optics. A set of filters, a circular variable filter (CVF), and a mid-infrared polarizer are available, as are three plate scales: 0.05'', 0.10'', 0.21'' per pixel. The camera focal plane array and optics are cooled using liquid helium. The system has been refurbished with a 128$\times$128 pixel Si:As detector array. The electronics readout system used to clock the array is compatible with both the hardware and software of the other Keck infrared instruments NIRC and LWS. A new pre-amplifier/A-D converter has been designed and constructed which decreases greatly the system susceptibility to noise.Mid-Infrared Camera, Astronomical Instrumentation, 10 Micron Camera, Si:As FPA
 

1998-08-11