Space Telescope Science Institute  First-Order Grating G750L First-Order Grating G430L

First-Order Grating G750M


Description

Like G750L, the G750M grating is used with the CCD and has a spectral range from 5500-10,000 Å. With a resolving power R~5000, a single exposure with this grating covers only 570 Å, and the grating must be scanned, with a series of exposures taken at 9 distinct settings to cover the full range of the grating.

Recommended Uses

This grating is designed for relatively high spectral resolution work centered on selected wavelength regions of the optical to near-IR.

Special Considerations

There is a partial ghost spectrum present in the c=5734 setting which is ~1.2% of, is inverted with respect to, is offset by ~ 70 pixels from, the prime spectrum, arising from back reflections between the CCD and the order sorter.

Fringing in the CCD compromises the realizable signal-to-noise longward of 7500 Å if contemporaneous fringe flats are not obtained (see CCD Operation and Feasibility Considerations).

The secondary central wavelengths at 6581 & 8561 Å have had direct sensitivity and wavelength calibrations performed during Cycle 7 to support the large number of observations using these positions

.
Grating
Spectral Range
Average
Dispersion
(Å per Pixel)
Plate Scale
(arcsec / pixel)
Tilts
Central
Wavelengths
Complete
Per Tilt
G750M
5450-10140
570
0.56
0.05
Prime
5734, 6252, 6768, 7283, 7795, 8311, 8825, 9336, 9851

Secondary
6094, 6581, 8561, 9286, 9806

Figure 13.6: Wavelength Ranges for the G750M Grating Settings

 

G750M Sensitivities

Table 13.4: G750M Sensitivities & Throughputs for a Point Source
Sensitivity
% Throughput
5500
6.6E14
9.6
6000
9.0E14
12.0
6500
1.1E15
13.4
7000
1.2E15
13.3
7500
1.1E15
11.5
8000
8.3E14
8.3
8500
7.2E14
6.7
9000
7.5E14
6.7
9500
6.4E14
5.4
10000
3.0E14
2.8
10500
0.0E0
0.0

Figure 13.7: G750M Point Source (left axis), and Diffuse Source (right axis) Sensitivities.

 

Note

Point source sensitivity assumes full transmission (zero slit losses). Diffuse source sensitivity assumes a 0.1" wide slit. To convert point source sensitivities to diffuse source sensitivities multiply the point source values by the grating spatial (cross dispersion) plate scale in units of arcseconds per pixel and by the width of the desired slit in units of arcseconds.

G750M Signal-to-Noise

Note:

The top axis displays constant F values corresponding to the STMAG units (V+STMAG) on the bottom axis. Recall that STMAG=0 is equivalent to F = 3.63E-9 erg cm-2 s-1 Å-1. The curves are labeled with exposure times in seconds

Figure 13.8: Diffuse Source Signal-to-Noise as a Function of STMAG for G750M

 
Figure 13.9: Point Source Signal-to-Noise as a Function of STMAG for G750M

 

First-Order Grating G750L First-Order Grating G430L
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