Optics Testing for SCALES
Physical and Biological Sciences
Applied Physics BS
Slicer Combined with Array of Lenslets for Exoplanet Spectroscopy (SCALES) is an integral field spectrograph under construction for W. M. Keck Observatory. It is optimized for spectroscopy of exoplanets at wavelengths 2 - 5 microns and has a 1 - 5 microns imaging channel. It is necessary to validate the performance of each SCALES optic individually. The optics are tested to determine if they fulfill the technical requirements for SCALES at cryogenic temperatures in a vacuum. This thesis presents the laboratory measurements of SCALES optics, including coronagraph masks for the cold stop and Lyot stops, neutral density filters, filter substrates, diamond-turned mirrors, and diffusers.
