Specialist Topic Groups

1
Key Technologies Working Group

Astronomy is an observational science and
progress is often driven by the availability of
new instruments, detectors and observing
techniques. The OPTICON Key Technologies Working
Group is investigating what will be required for
the next generation of European facilities. Its
aim is produce technology roadmaps, encourage
collaborative European technology development
projects and provide a forum for taking advantage
of future opportunities. An important goal is to
encourage the formation of new teams who will
propose new technology development programmes as
was done during the OPTICON FP5 activity.

• Specialist Topic Groups
• Topics for the working group will evolve over
  the 5 year programme, but likely subjects
  include
• Advanced Optical devices.
• Adaptive Optics

The goal of the Key Technologies Working Group
is to identify technologies that are needed for
European telescopes and instruments in the next
decade. The objective is to identify short tem
technology needs to exploit existing telescopes
and longer term issues which will eventually be
required for a European ELT. The working group
will work closely with the six OPTICON Joint
Research Activities

• Tools
• The Key Technology Working Group operates an
  interactive website to keep its membership in
  contact.
• Specific meetings are held to develop and update
  a technology roadmap for astronomy.
• Regular Workshops and working group meetings will
  be held.
• An industry forum will bridge the gap between
  academia and industry to ensure a two way flow of
  information and innovation

• Wavefront Correctors
• Metrology of complex optical surfaces to enable
  economic manufacture of large adaptive mirrors
  and mirror segments.
• System modeling, including thermal models of
  complex cryogenic instruments
• Detectors Fast, high sensitivity infrared focal
  plane arrays for high angular resolution
  astronomy to allow access to many more natural
  guide stars in the infrared, and hence direct
  imaging of faint objects near stars.

Links to Industry and SMEs We are building
connections with European Industry in order to
develop partnerships that will enhance European
astronomy technology.
Precision Optical Pick-off Arm