NIST Develops Advanced Frequency Comb for Planet-Hunting Telescope
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has created a new type of frequency comb called an “astrocomb” that significantly improves the precision of starlight analysis. This technology is being used in the Hobby-Eberly Telescope in Texas to detect Earth-like planets orbiting M dwarf stars, the most common type of star in the galaxy.
The NIST astrocomb operates in the near-infrared wavelengths, which is the most common range for M dwarf stars, and is made using electro-optic laser technology. It provides a strong and precise signal with about 5,000 widely spaced “teeth” for precise color calibration. The comb spans the target infrared wavelength band and is tailored to the Habitable Zone Planet Finder spectrograph’s reading capability.
The research team, involving NIST, the University of Colorado Boulder, and Pennsylvania State University, completed a test run in 2012 and delivered the improved comb to the Hobby-Eberly Telescope in February 2018. The project was funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Heising-Simons Foundation.
The potential impact of this technology is significant, as it enhances the ability to detect Earth-mass planets and potentially habitable zones around M dwarf stars. This could lead to the discovery of potentially habitable exoplanets and advance our understanding of the potential for life beyond Earth.
Keywords: Quantum Systems, Optical Metrology, Frequency Comb Generation
