Keck Planet Imager and Characterizer: A dedicated single-mode fiber injection unit for high-resolution exoplanet spectroscopy

Jacques Robert Delorme*, Nemanja Jovanovic, Daniel Echeverri, Dimitri Mawet, J. Kent Wallace, Randall D. Bartos, Sylvain Cetre, Peter Wizinowich, Sam Ragland, Scott Lilley, Edward Wetherell, Greg Doppmann, Jason J. Wang, Evan C. Morris, Jean Baptiste Ruffio, Emily C. Martin, Michael P. Fitzgerald, Garreth Ruane, Tobias Schofield, Nick SuominenBenjamin Calvin, Eric Wang, Kenneth Magnone, Christopher Johnson, Ji M. Sohn, Ronald A. Lopez, Charlotte Z. Bond, Jacklyn Pezzato, Jorge L. Sayson, Mark Chun, Andrew J. Skemer

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Keck Planet Imager and Characterizer (KPIC) is a purpose-built instrument to demonstrate technological and instrumental concepts initially developed for the exoplanet direct imaging field. Located downstream of the current Keck II adaptive optic (AO) system, KPIC contains a fiber injection unit (FIU) capable of combining the high-contrast imaging capability of the AOs system with the high dispersion spectroscopy capability of the current Keck high resolution infrared spectrograph (NIRSPEC). Deployed at Keck in September 2018, this instrument has already been used to acquire high-resolution spectra (R > 30,000) of multiple targets of interest. In the near term, it will be used to spectrally characterize known directly imaged exoplanets and low-mass brown dwarf companions visible in the northern hemisphere with a spectral resolution high enough to enable spin and planetary radial velocity measurements as well as Doppler imaging of atmospheric weather phenomena. Here, we present the design of the FIU, the unique calibration procedures needed to operate a single-mode fiber instrument and the system performance.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number035006
JournalJournal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems
Volume7
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1 2021

Keywords

  • exoplanets
  • high contrast imaging
  • high dispersion coronagraphy
  • high-resolution spectroscopy
  • instrumentation
  • W. M. Keck observatory

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Control and Systems Engineering
  • Instrumentation
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Space and Planetary Science

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