Completion and Testing of an Instrument for Investigating the Terahertz Optical Properties of Cooled Samples
Submission Type
Event
Faculty Advisor
Thushara Perera
Expected Graduation Date
2018
Location
Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Start Date
4-21-2018 9:00 AM
End Date
4-21-2018 10:00 AM
Disciplines
Education
Abstract
Astronomers use terahertz light frequencies to study distant cosmic objects of interest. These objects are often shrouded in vast fields of cosmic dust. We aim to learn about the optical properties of this dust to eventually aid in these observations. The opacity and emissivity of cosmic dust analogs will be studied at terahertz light frequencies and temperatures ranging from 4-30 kelvin. The system (designed and constructed at IWU) includes a dewar/cryocooler for reaching low temperatures, a bolometer to measure light intensities, a black body light source for generating light and a Fourier Transform Spectrometer for breaking the light into its component frequencies. The system was fully built in the spring of 2018 and will be tested in April 2018. This poster presentation will cover the experimental setup and the preliminary results from the “first light” cooldown.
Completion and Testing of an Instrument for Investigating the Terahertz Optical Properties of Cooled Samples
Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Astronomers use terahertz light frequencies to study distant cosmic objects of interest. These objects are often shrouded in vast fields of cosmic dust. We aim to learn about the optical properties of this dust to eventually aid in these observations. The opacity and emissivity of cosmic dust analogs will be studied at terahertz light frequencies and temperatures ranging from 4-30 kelvin. The system (designed and constructed at IWU) includes a dewar/cryocooler for reaching low temperatures, a bolometer to measure light intensities, a black body light source for generating light and a Fourier Transform Spectrometer for breaking the light into its component frequencies. The system was fully built in the spring of 2018 and will be tested in April 2018. This poster presentation will cover the experimental setup and the preliminary results from the “first light” cooldown.