Shu-i Wang Resume

Table Mountain NIR Imaging Spectrometer: Project Manager

A NIR imaging spectrometer built for the JPL Table Mountain Facility (TMF). The spectrometer covers a spectral range of 0.9-2.6 microns in 128 bands. The detector is a 128x128 Rockwell HgCdTe array. The spectrometer accomodates two modes of operation, imaging mode which covers a FOV of 0.5"x53" on a 48" f/35 telescope (TMT), and point mode, which covers 0.5"x0.7" on TMT. The selectable apertures are reflective, and the reflected light is used for guiding with a (nonphotometric) CCD array. The spectrometer optics consists of a holographic grating, which collimates, disperses, and reimages the light, with a magnification of 1/1.5. The optics and detector are cooled via a liquid nitrogen reservoir. The spectrometer can operate in both up-looking and side-looking configurations.

MOP (Multichannel Occultation Photometer): Co-Investigator/Optical Designer

A Multichannel Occultation Photometer (MOP) built for the NASA 3-m Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and the JPL Table Mountain Facility (TMF). MOP acquires data in four selectable passbands (two 1-5 microns channels and two 10-20 microns channels), with very high sensivity and approximately 100% duty cycle on-source during chopping. The optics are optimized for uniform response across an aperture of up to 20" on the IRTF. The cryogenic system is a two-can cryostat with one liquid nitrogen can for cooling the radiation shields, optics, filters, and baffles, and a liquid helium can for cooling the infrared detectors. The instrument operates two types of infrared detector technologies. The 1-5 microns detectors are low-capacitance, single-element InSb detectors. The 10 microns detectors are blocked impurity band detectors (BIBs). The instrument also has a 64x64 visible CCD array as an additional channel for guiding and visible photometry. A global positioning system (GPS) unit is incorporated into the system for time and location stamping of occultation events.

CoCo (Cold Coronagraph): Co-Investigator/Optical Designer

An infrared Cold Coronagraph (CoCo) built for JPL for use with the 1-5 microns 256x256 InSb array facility camera at the NASA 3-m Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) at Mauna Kea Observatory. CoCo will enable NSFCAM to image faint infrared sources in close proximity to bright sources, improving the photometric contrast by using both an occulting (focal plane) mask and an apodizing (pupil plane) mask. Both apodized-edge and hard-edged occulting masks are selectable as the first optical element, to reduce scattered light from the bright source. Selectable pupil masks, within the CoCo cryostat, reduce diffracted light from the bright source. The optics, masks, and baffles within the CoCo cryostat are cooled to 77K (using a liquid nitrogen reservoir) to reduce thermal background. CoCo is mounted on a slide in a housing to move it in and out of the NSFCAM beam path; this allows NSFCAM to be used in both direct and coronagraphic imaging modes during the same observing period. CoCo accommodates two NSFCAM platescales, 0.06"/pixel and 0.15"/pixel, covering FOVs of 14" and 38". CoCo allso introduces a pupil imaging mode to NSFCAM, allowing direct imaging of the IRTF pupil.

ARCES (ARC Echelle Spectrograph): Optical Engineer

A high resolution spectrometer for the ARC 3.5-m Telescope, covering a wavelength range of 360-1000 nm. The method of dispersion is with an echelle grating combined with double-prism cross-dispersion in an in-plane arrangement. The spectrometer optics (designed by Dan Schroeder) consists of a f/10 OAP collimator and a f/2.7 Schmidt camera with an achromatic-doublet corrector. The resolution is about 8 km/sec (1.6" slit) with a SITe 2048x2048 (SI424A) CCD array detector. The spectrograph is separated into 2 sections: the upper tank contains the collimator and dispersing elements in a low vacuum (for thermal stability and cleanliness), and the camera tank contains the camera optics, the CCD, and liquid nitrogen reservoirs for cooling the CCD (to about 170K) and the cold shield (to about 80K). An enclosed front-end is attached to the entrance port of the spectrograph upper tank. The front-end contains the spectrograph aperture, guide camera, and calibration subassemblies.

ASTROCAM (infrared ASTROmetric CAMera): Optical Consultant

An 1-5 microns Infrared Astrometric Camera for the Naval Research Lab (NRL) and the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO), built by Mauna Kea Infrared. The camera will extend the small-angle astrometric capabilities developed at USNO in Flagstaff, Arizona, to near infrared wavelengths. ASTROCAM will be used on the USNO 1.55-m telescope, in 1:1 re-imaging mode, giving a FOV of about 6 arcmin. The camera optics consist of Offner reflective optics with cold Lyot stop and baffles, and a pupil reimager for aligning the Lyot stop. The detector will be an ALADDIN 1024x1024 InSb array developed for the government by Hughes SBRC. A closed-cycle cooler maintains the detector temperature at 35K, and the optics & radiation shield at 77K.

SPEX (NASA IRTF Medium-resolution 0.8-5.5 micron Spectrograph): Optical Consultant/Designer

SpeX is a medium-resolution 0.8-5.5 micron spectrograph being built at the Institute for Astronomy (IfA), for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea. The primary scientific driver of SpeX is to provide maximum simultaneous wavelength coverage at a spectral resolving power which is well-matched to many planetary, stellar and galactic features, and at resolving power which adequately separates sky emission lines and disperses sky continuum. This requirement has resulted in an instrument design which provides spectral resolutions of R~1000-2000 across 0.8-2.5 micron and 2.0-5.5 micron, using prism cross-dispersers. SpeX also contains an infrared slit-viwer/guider covering a 60x60arcsec field-of-view at 0.12arcsec/pixel. A Raytheon 1024x1024 InSb array is used in the spectrograph and a Raytheon 512x512 InSb array in the infrared slit-viewer.

HAWC - A Facility Far Infrared Camera for SOFIA: Optical Engineer/Designer

HAWC (High-resolution Airborn Wide-bandwidth Camera) is a facility Far Infrared camera for SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy. HAWC will utilize a 12x32 bolometer array detector constructed using the ion-implanted silicon pop-up detector technology being developed at Goddard Space Flight Center. HAWC will cover a wavelength range of 50 - 250 microns in four passbands.

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Builder

The Sky Survey will map one-quarter of the entire sky, producing a detailed image of it and determining the positions and absolute brightness of more than 100 million celestial objects. The SDSS 20-inch Photometric Telescope is used for monitoring subtle changes in the atmosphere during the course of the survey. Its principal function is to aid astronomers in accurately calibrating an object's brightness, as measured with the main telescope. (Image credit: Fermilab Visual Media Services)

My coffee table with SDSS Fiber Plug Plate 2878: Designer

SDSS 3 Fiber Plug Plate #2878. Southern Galatic Cap: RA 22.2°, DEC -9.6°. Southern most strip observed by SDSS. Designed for November 2007, observed on New Year's Eve, 2007. Big holes are stars, small holes are quasars and galaxies. Highest redshift object on plate was a red shift 3.62 quasar.

CMA-2700 Camera - An Enhanced Vision System for Aircrafts: Lead Optical Engineer/Designer

The CMA-2700 camera is a high resolution infrared camera designed to enhance a pilot's vision in adverse visual conditions. Level B certification to DO-178B and DO-254 enables business and air transport operators to seek additional operational landing credits. Design improved both the contrast and resolution over the previous generation camera.

CMA-7100 & 7150 DHUDs - Digital Head-up Displays for Aircrafts: Lead Optical Engineer/Designer

The CMA-7100 & CMA-7150 are digital, raster video capable Head-Up Displays (HUDs). These Digital SparrowHawk HUDs feature a reliable, solid state display and include extensive built-in testing for simplified maintainability, internal data logging and continuous in-flight testing to track system conditions during flight. When combined with CMC’s Operational Flight Programs, the HUDs can provide a complete weapons delivery system providing a powerful, cost-effective solution for aircraft that perform a broad range of missions. Configurable symbology offers fleet commonality in “look and feel” and ensures minimal impact on pilot transition across aircraft types.

CMA-7175 Low Profile Digital Head-up Display for Aircrafts: Lead Optical Engineer/Designer

The CMA-7175 is a reflective, digital Head-Up Display (HUD) designed for cockpits with Large Area Displays. The low profile of the HUD and high image quality are enabled by the latest optical and mechanical fabrication techniques.