Activities at QEL

Several different activities are performed at the QEL, mainly related to the so-called VacuumUltraViolet (VUV) instrumentation. They can be divided in different sections:

In the following there is a brief description of each activity.

The QEL group is also involved in other different activities, and you can find more information at the following sites:

Space Instrumentation

One of the main activities in which the QEL has been involved is the realization of the UVCS spectrograph, a joint collaboration between the Italian Space Agency ( ASI ) and NASA to build an ultraviolet coronagraph on board of the SOHO satellite, one of the cornerstone mission in the Horizon 2000 programme of the European Space Agency ( ESA ). This activity has consisted at first in the optical design of the spectrograph, then in the preliminary lab tests of the laboratory evaluation unit of this instrument, in the integration and alignment of the flight spectrograph at ALENIA Spazio (Torino), and it has continued with the end-to-end test phase at the Center for Astrophysics of the Harvard University in Cambridge (MA, USA) and finally with the in-flight calibration at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt (MD, USA).
This instrument has been launched on December 1995 and it has performed very well, giving extremely interesting scientific results about the solar corona and the solar wind acceleration processes.

Another space mission in which QEL was indirectly interested is the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE ). For this space mission, a researcher of the group spent a period of time at the Experimental Astrophysics Group of the Space Sciences Laboratory of the University of California Berkeley (USA) participating at the realization, characterization, test and alignment of the photon counting detectors of the instrument.

Another space mission in which QEL is presently involved is the realization of the Wide Angle Camera ( WAC ) for the OSIRIS imager on board of the ESA Rosetta mission to comet P/Wirtanen. This project is a collaboration among several departments of the University and it is coordinated by the Center for Space Activity of the University (CISAS ). The activity related to this instrument had consisted in the definition of the optical design of the camera, and in all the optical activities related to its integration: from the acceptance tests of the optics (realized by Galileo Avionica ), to the tests of the breadboard optics, to the Qualification Model alignment and integration, to the Flight Model alignment, integration and verification tests. The camera is planned to be launched in 2003.
Clean room activity on the WAC Qualification Model The backside of the WAC Flight Model The frontside of the WAC Flight Model The interior of the WAC Flight Model The WAC finally integrated

Some members of QEL are also involved in the optical study and design (Phase A) of the UV spectrometers on the Ultra-Violet Italian Sky Surveryor (UVISS) telescope, which should be installed on the International Space Station ( ISS ).
Another space mission proposal in which QEL is involved is Kronos . If the mission will be approved by NASA, QEL will be responsible of the realization of the UV/Vis spectrograph of the satellite.

Power Pulsed Lasers and Laser Produced Plasmas

To have more details about our activity on the LPP, please see the LPP page.

Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation


QEL is involved in the study of optical configurations for monochromators for synchrotron radiation application. This activity has began several years ago, with the beginning of the construction of the synchrotron ring ELETTRA in Trieste. One of the proposed monochromators has been approved and built and is now working at the beamline ALOISA in Trieste. The monochromator design (patented) is based on the idea of using sagittal focusing for some of the optics: this has the consequence of strongly reducing the so-called slope error aberrations in the dispersion plane, giving a very high resolution. Moreover, owing to its particular design, it is the only monochromator working on synchrotron radiation beamlines which allows the use of both gratings and crystals, so covering a very wide energy range, with very high resolution. The actual performance of this monochromator are extremely good, showing resolution values also beyond the expected ones.
QEL is also responsible of another monochromator at ELETTRA, namely the one for the X-Moss beamline. Also this monochromator adopts the sagittal focusing for reducing the slope error aberrations in the dispersione plane; but in this case, owing to the reduced energy range of operation of the beamline, only gratings are used as dispersive elements (no crystal). This monochromator has been recently completed, and QEL has been the main responsible of its alignment.
 

Techniques for X-ray diagnostics

QEL is involved in the study of innovative instrumentation for industrial X-ray diagnostics, especially for log treatment. A 60kV, 50 mA X-ray source is available for tests to be performed on a shielded room (2 X 2 m) certified up to 100 kV.
The main activities are:

Lab Activities and Miscellaneous


Several activities can be cited:

  1. Characterization of silicon-based and photon-counting detectors

    2. The QEL has the capability and the expertise for characterizing detectors in a wide spectral region, ranging from the near infrared (about 1000 nm) to the soft X-ray (0.1 nm). Both silicon-based (CCD and photodiodes) and photon-counting detectors (channeltron and microchannel plate) have been characterized at QEL. Monochromators for the selection of the working wavelength and calibrated reference detectors are available.
    CCD quantum efficiency in the 0.1-1100 nm spectral region
  2. Measurements on optical components

    3. The QEL has the facilities for measuring mirror reflectivity, grating absolute diffraction efficiency, filter transmission or absorption, emissivity of scintillators, ... both in the normal-incidence configuration and in the grazing-incidence one.
    EUV and soft X-ray test facility VUV test facility
  3. Design of new instrumentation

    4. The QEL is involved in the optical and mechanical design and realization of innovative spectroscopic instrumentation, especially in the VUV and soft X-ray regions, both for laboratory and space applications.
    design of a grazing-incidence spectroscopic system for laser produced plasma

 

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