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The scanning superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) fabricated on the tip of a sharp quartz pipette (SQUID-on-tip) has emerged as a versatile tool for nanoscale imaging of magnetic, thermal, and transport properties of microscopic devices of quantum materials. We present the design and performance of a scanning SQUID-on-tip microscope in a top-loading probe of a cryogen-free dilution refrigerator. The microscope is enclosed in a custom-made vacuum-tight cell mounted at the bottom of the probe and is suspended by springs to suppress vibrations caused by the pulse tube cryocooler. Two capillaries allow in-situ control of helium exchange gas pressure in the cell that is required for thermal imaging. A nanoscale heater is used to create local temperature gradients in the sample, which enables quantitative characterization of the relative vibrations between the tip and the sample. The spectrum of the vibrations shows distinct resonant peaks with maximal power density of about 27 nm/Hz$^{1/2}$ in the in-plane direction. The performance of the SQUID-on-tip microscope is demonstrated by magnetic imaging of the MnBi$_2$Te$_4$ magnetic topological insulator, magnetization and current distribution imaging in a SrRuO$_3$ ferromagnetic oxide thin film, and by thermal imaging of dissipation in graphene., Submitted to Review of Scientific Instruments

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is a single object spectrograph built by an international consortium for the ESO NTT telescope. SOXS is based on the heritage of the X-Shooter at the ESO-VLT with two arms (UV-VIS and NIR) working in parallel, with a Resolution-Slit product of about 4500, capable of simultaneously observing over the entire band the complete spectral range from the U- to the H-band. SOXS will carry out rapid and long-term Target of Opportunity requests on a variety of astronomical objects. The SOXS vacuum and cryogenic control system has been designed to evacuate, cool down and maintain the UV-VIS detector and the entire NIR spectrograph to their operating temperatures. The design chosen allows the two arms to be operated independently. This paper describes the final design of the cryo-vacuum control system, its functionalities and the tests performed in the integration laboratories., 12 pages, 6 figures, SPIE proceedings of the conference Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation IV

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is a single object spectrograph offering a simultaneous spectral coverage from U- to H-band, built by an international consortium for the 3.58-m ESO New Technology Telescope at the La Silla Observatory. It is designed to observe all kind of transients and variable sources discovered by different surveys with a highly flexible schedule maintained by the consortium, based on the Target of Opportunity concept. SOXS is going to be a fundamental spectroscopic partner for any kind of imaging survey, becoming one of the premier transient follow-up instruments in the Southern hemisphere. This paper gives an updated status of the project, when the instrument is in the advanced phase of integration and testing in Europe, prior to the activities in Chile., Proc. SPIE 12184, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IX, 121840O (2022)

The Son Of X-Shooter (SOXS) is a single object spectrograph, built by an international consortium for the 3.58-m ESO New Technology Telescope at the La Silla Observatory, ranging from 350 to 2000 nm. In this paper, we present the progress in the AIT phase of the Near InfraRed (NIR) arm. We describe the different AIT phases of the cryo, vacuum, opto-mechanics and detector subsystems, that finally converged at the INAF-OAB premises in Merate (Italy), where the NIR spectrograph is currently being assembled and tested, before the final assembly on SOXS., Comment: 6 pages, 8 Figures, SPIE: Astronomical Telescope + Instrumentation, Montreal 2022

SOXS is the new spectrograph for the ESO NTT telescope able to cover the optical and NIR bands thanks to two different arms: the UV-VIS (350-850 nm), and the NIR (800-2000 nm). In this article, we describe the final design of the visible camera cryostats, the test facilities for the CCD characterization, and the first results with the scientific detector. The UV-VIS detector system is based on a e2v CCD 44-82, a custom detector head coupled with the ESO Continuous Flowing Cryostat (CFC) cooling system and the New General Detector Controller (NGC) developed by ESO. The laboratory facility is based on an optical bench equipped with a Xenon lamp, filter wheels to select the wavelength, an integrating sphere, and a calibrated diode to measure the flux. This paper outlines the visible camera cryostat, the test facilities for the CCD characterization and the first results with the scientific detector in the laboratory and after the integration to the instrument.

The Son Of X-Shooter (SOXS) is a two-channel spectrograph along with imaging capabilities, characterized by a wide spectral coverage (350nm to 2000nm), designed for the NTT telescope at the La Silla Observatory. Its main scientific goal is the spectroscopic follow-up of transients and variable objects. The UV-VIS arm, of the Common Path sub-system, is characterized by the presence of a powered Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector composed (ADC) by two counter-rotating quadruplets, two prisms, and two lenses each. The presence of powered optics in both the optical groups represents an additional challenge in the alignment procedures. We present the characteristics of the ADC, the analysis after receiving the optics from the manufacturer, the emerging issues, the alignment strategies we followed, and the final results of the ADC in dispersion and optical quality.

SOXS (SOn of X-Shooter) is a medium resolution (~4500) wide-band (0.35 - 2.0 {\mu}m) spectrograph which passed the Final Design Review in 2018. The instrument is in the final integration phase and it is planned to be installed at the NTT in La Silla by next year. It is mainly composed of five different optomechanical subsystems (Common Path, NIR spectrograph, UV-VIS spectrograph, Camera, and Calibration) and other mechanical subsystems (Interface flange, Platform, cable corotator, and cooling system). A brief overview of the optomechanical subsystems is presented here as more details can be found in the specific proceedings while a more comprehensive discussion is dedicated to the other mechanical subsystems and the tools needed for the integration of the instrument. Moreover, the results obtained during the acceptance of the various mechanical elements are presented together with the experiments performed to validate the functionality of the subsystems. Finally, the mechanical integration procedure is shown here, along with all the modifications applied to correct the typical problems happening in this phase., Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2012.12693

SOXS (SOn of X-Shooter) is a high-efficiency spectrograph with a mean Resolution-Slit product of 3500 over the entire band capable of simultaneously observing the complete spectral range 350-2000 nm. It consists of three scientific arms (the UV-VIS Spectrograph, the NIR Spectrograph and the Acquisition Camera) connected by the Common Path system to the NTT, and the Calibration Unit. We present an overview of the flow from the scientific to the technical requirements, and the realization of the sub-systems. Further, we give an overview of the methodologies used for planning and managing the assembly of the sub-systems, their integration and tests before the acceptance of the instrument in Europe (PAE) along with the plan for the integration of SOXS to the NTT. SOXS could be used as an example for the system engineering of an instrument of moderate complexity, with a large geographic spread of the team., Comment: 12 pages, 4 Figures, SPIE: Astronomical Telescope + Instrumentation, Montreal 2022. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1812.07401

The Son-Of-XShooter (SOXS) is a single object spectrograph (UV-VIS & NIR) and acquisition camera scheduled to be mounted on the ESO 3.58-m New Technology Telescope at the La Silla Observatory. Although the underlying data reduction processes to convert raw detector data to fully-reduced science ready data are complex and multi-stepped, we have designed the SOXS Data Reduction pipeline with the core aims of providing end-users with a simple-to-use, well-documented command-line interface while also allowing the pipeline to be run in a fully automated state; streaming reduced data into the ESO Science Archive Facility without need for human intervention. To keep up with the stream of data coming from the instrument, there is the requirement to optimise the software to reduce each observation block of data well within the typical observation exposure time. The pipeline is written in Python 3 and has been built with an agile development philosophy that includes CI and adaptive planning., 10 pages, 7 figures, published in SPIE proceedings volume 12189. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2012.12678

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is a medium resolution (~4500) wide-band (0.35 - 2.0 µm) spectrograph which passed the Final Design Review in 2018. The instrument is planned to be installed at the NTT in La Silla and it is mainly composed by five different optomechanical subsystems (Common Path, NIR spectrograph, UV-VIS spectrograph, Camera, and Calibration) and other mechanical subsystems (Interface flange, Platform, cable corotator, and cooling). It is currently in the procurement and integration phase. In this paper we present the post-FDR modifications in the mechanical design due to the various iterations with the manufacturers and the actual procurement status. The last part describes the strategy used to keep under control the mechanical interfaces between the subsystems.

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) will be the new medium resolution (R~4500 for 1'' slit), high-efficiency, wide band spectrograph for the ESO NTT at La Silla, optimized for classification and follow-up of transient events. SOXS will simultaneously cover UV optical and NIR bands (0.35-2.00 micron) using two different arms and a pre-slit Common Path feeding system. The instrument will be also equipped by a Calibration Unit and an Acquisition Camera (AC) System. In this paper we present the final opto-mechanical design for the AC System and we describe its development status. The project is currently in manufacturing and integration phases., 8 pages, 8 figures, SPIE conference. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1809.01526

SOXS is a new spectrograph for the New Technology Telescope (NTT), optimized for transient and variable objects, covering a wide wavelength range from 350 to 2000 nm. SOXS is equipped with a calibration unit that will be used to remove the instrument signatures and to provide wavelength calibration to the data. The calibration unit will employ seven calibration lamps: a quartz-tungsten-halogen and a deuterium lamp for the flat-field correction, a ThAr lamp and four pencil-style rare-gas lamps for the wavelength calibration. The light from the calibration lamps is injected into the spectrograph mimicking the f/11 input beam of the NTT, by using an integrating sphere and a custom doublet. The oversized illumination patch covers the length of the spectrograph slit homogeneously, with $< 1\%$ variation. The optics also supports the second mode of the unit, the star-simulator mode that emulates a point source by utilizing a pinhole mask. Switching between the direct illumination and pinhole modes is performed by a linear stage. A safety interlock switches off the main power when the lamp box cover is removed, preventing accidental UV exposure to the service personnel. All power supplies and control modules are located in an electronic rack at a distance from the telescope platform. In this presentation we describe the optical, mechanical, and electrical designs of the SOXS calibration unit, and report the status of development in which the unit is currently in the test and verification stage., 7 pages, 7 figures

We present here the development status of the NIR spectrograph of the Son Of X-Shooter (SOXS) instrument, for the ESO/NTT telescope at La Silla (Chile). SOXS is a R~4,500 mean resolution spectrograph, with a simultaneously coverage from about 0.35 to 2.00 μm. It will be mounted at the Nasmyth focus of the NTT. The two UV-VIS-NIR wavelength ranges will be covered by two separated arms. The NIR spectrograph is a fully cryogenic echelle-dispersed spectrograph, working in the range 0.80-2.00 μm, equipped with a Hawaii H2RG IR array from Teledyne. The whole spectrograph will be cooled down to about 150 K (but the array at 40 K), to lower the thermal background, and equipped with a thermal filter to block any thermal radiation above 2.0 μm. In this work, we will show the advanced phase of integration of the NIR spectrograph.

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is a single object spectrograph, characterized by offering a wide simultaneous spectral coverage from U- to H-band, built by an international consortium for the 3.6-m ESO New Technology Telescope at the La Silla Observatory, in the Southern part of the Chilean Atacama Desert. The consortium is focussed on a clear scientific goal: the spectrograph will observe all kind of transient and variable sources discovered by different surveys with a highly flexible schedule, updated daily, based on the Target of Opportunity concept. It will provide a key spectroscopic partner to any kind of imaging survey, becoming one of the premier transient follow-up instruments in the Southern hemisphere. SOXS will study a mixture of transients encompassing all distance scales and branches of astronomy, including fast alerts (such as gamma-ray bursts and gravitational waves), mid-term alerts (such as supernovae and X-ray transients), and fixed-time events (such as the close-by passage of a minor planet or exoplanets). It will also have the scope to observe active galactic nuclei and blazars, tidal disruption events, fast radio bursts, and more. Besides of the consortium programs on guaranteed time, the instrument is offered to the ESO community for any kind of astrophysical target. The project has passed the Final Design Review and is currently in manufacturing and integration phase. This paper describes the development status of the project., Proc SPIE Volume 11447, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII, 1144709,2020

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is a forthcoming instrument for ESO-NTT, mainly dedicated to the spectroscopic study of transient events and is currently starting the AIT (Assembly, Integration, and Test) phase. It foresees a visible spectrograph, a near-Infrared (NIR) spectrograph, and an acquisition camera for light imaging and secondary guiding. The optimal setup and the monitoring of SOXS are carried out with a set of software-controlled motorized components and sensors. The instrument control software (INS) also manages the observation and calibration procedures, as well as maintenance and self-test operations. The architecture of INS, based on the latest release of the VLT Software (VLT2019), has been frozen; the code development is in an advanced state for what concerns supported components and observation procedures, which run in simulation. In this proceeding we present the INS current status, focusing in particular on the ongoing efforts in the support of two non-standard, "special" devices. The first special device is the piezoelectric slit exchanger for the NIR spectrograph; the second special device is the piezoelectric tip-tilt corrector used for active compensation of mechanical flexures of the instrument., 8 pages, 4 figures

Son of X-Shooter (SOXS) will be a high-efficiency spectrograph with a mean Resolution-Slit product of ∼ 4500 over the entire band capable of simultaneously observing the complete spectral range 350-2000 nm. It consists of three scientific arms (the UV-VIS Spectrograph, the NIR Spectrograph, and the Acquisition Camera) connected by the Common Path system to the NTT, and the Calibration Unit. The Common Path is the backbone of the instrument and the interface to the NTT Nasmyth focus flange. The instrument project went through the Final Design Review in 2018 and is currently in Assembly Integration and test (AIT) Phase. This paper outlines the observing modes of SOXS and the efficiency of each subsystem and the laboratory test plan to evaluate it.

The forthcoming SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) will be a new spectroscopic facility for the ESO New Technology Telescope in La Silla, focused on transient events and able to cover both the UV-VIS and NIR bands. The instrument passed the Final Design Review in 2018 and is currently in manufacturing and integration phase. This paper is focused on the assembly and testing of the instrument control electronics, which will manage all the motorized functions, alarms, sensors, and electric interlocks. The electronics is hosted in two main control cabinets, divided in several subracks that are assembled to ensure easy accessibility and transportability, to simplify test, integration and maintenance. Both racks are equipped with independent power supply distribution and have their own integrated cooling systems. This paper shows the assembly strategy, reports on the development status and describes the tests performed to verify the system before the integration into the whole instrument.

Son Of X-Shooter (SOXS) is a double-armed (UV-VIS, NIR) spectrograph designed to be mounted at the ESO-NTT in La Silla, now in its Assembly Integration and Verification (AIV) phase. The instrument is designed following a modular approach so that each sub-system can be integrated in parallel before their assembly at system level. INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova will deliver the Common Path (CP) sub-system, which represents the backbone of the entire instrument. In this paper, we describe the foreseen operation for the CP alignment and we report some results already achieved, showing that we envisaged the suitable setup and the strategy to meet the opto-mechanical requirements.

We present our progress on the UV-VIS arm of Son Of X-Shooter (SOXS), a new spectrograph for the NTT. Our design splits the spectral band into four sub-bands that are imaged onto a single detector. Each band uses an optimized high efficiency grating that operates in 1st order (m=1). In our previous paper we presented the concept and preliminary design. SOXS passed a Final Design Review in July 2018 and is well into the construction phase. Here we present the final design, performances of key manufactured elements, and the progress in the assembly. Based on the as-built elements, the expected throughput of the visual arm will be > 55%. This paper is accompanied by a series of contributions describing the progress made on the SOXS instrument.

We present the development of the End-to-End simulator for the SOXS instrument at the ESO-NTT 3.5-m telescope. SOXS will be a spectroscopic facility, made by two arms high efficiency spectrographs, able to cover the spectral range 350-2000 nm with resolving power R˜4500. The E2E model allows to simulate the propagation of photons starting from the scientific target of interest up to the detectors. The outputs of the simulator are synthetic frames, which will be mainly exploited for optimizing the pipeline development and possibly assisting for proper alignment and integration phases in laboratory and at the telescope. In this paper, we will detail the architecture of the simulator and the computational model, which are strongly characterized by modularity and flexibility. Synthetic spectral formats, related to different seeing and observing conditions, and calibration frames to be ingested by the pipeline are also presented.

SOXS will be the new spectroscopic facility for the ESO NTT telescope able to cover the optical and NIR bands by using two different arms: the UV-VIS (350-850 nm), and the NIR (800-2000 nm). In this article, we describe the development status of the visible camera cryostat, the architecture of the acquisition system and the progress in the electronic design. The UV-VIS detector system is based on a CCD detector 44-82 from e2v, a custom detector head, coupled with the ESO continuous flow cryostats (CFC), a custom cooling system, based on a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), and the New General Controller (NGC) developed by ESO. This paper outlines the development status of the system, describes the design of the different parts that make up the UV-VIS arm and is accompanied by a series of information describing the SOXS design solutions in the mechanics and in the electronics parts. The first tests of the detector system with the UV-VIS camera will be shown., 10 pager, 13 figures

The bubble-assisted Liquid Hole-Multiplier (LHM) is a recently-introduced detection concept for noble-liquid time projection chambers. In this "local dual-phase" detection element, a gas bubble is supported underneath a perforated electrode (e.g., Thick Gas Electron Multiplier - THGEM, or Gas Electron Multiplier - GEM). Electrons drifting through the holes induce large electroluminescence signals as they pass into the bubble. In this work we report on recent results of THGEM and GEM electrodes coated with cesium iodide and immersed in liquid xenon, allowing - for the first time - the detection of primary VUV scintillation photons in addition to ionization electrons using LHMs., Presented at the 2016 Vienna Conference on Instrumentation. Submitted to the conference proceedings in NIM A

Nanoscale superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) on a tip are currently of high interest for ultrasensitive scanning-probe magnetic and thermal imaging. Their applicability, however, is curbed by volatility to ambient conditions and a limited range of operating fields and temperatures. In this work, the authors develop a fabrication method applicable to a wide range of previously inaccessible superconducting materials, and demonstrate operation of a SQUID-on-tip at a high magnetic field of 5 T, paving the way to nanoscale imaging of magnetic and spintronic phenomena, and of dissipation mechanisms in quantum states of matter.

Synopsis A new hybrid electrostatic ion beam trap (HEIBT) is designed and simulated for low-energy ion-ion, ion-neutral merged beam collision studies as well as ion-laser interaction experiments. The HEIBT is made possible by the design of dichroic electrostatic mirrors that reflect or transmit ion beams of different charge and energy. The experimental setup allows fragment imaging detection of the investigated reaction products ejected outside the trap.

Synopsis A new method for cooling beams of any ion is introduced. The method is autoresonance acceleration of ions inside an Electrostatic Ion Beam Trap. Intrabunch collisions of trapped (molecular) ions transfer energy from the “cold” part of the population of the ion distribution to the “hot” part, which, in turn, evaporates from the bunch. As a result, bunches of ions were cooled from about 45 K to well below 1 K.

An overview of the optical design for the SOXS spectrograph is presented. SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is the new wideband, medium resolution (R>4500) spectrograph for the ESO 3.58m NTT telescope expected to start observations in 2021 at La Silla. The spectroscopic capabilities of SOXS are assured by two different arms. The UV-VIS (350-850 nm) arm is based on a novel concept that adopts the use of 4 ion-etched high efficiency transmission gratings. The NIR (800- 2000 nm) arm adopts the '4C' design (Collimator Correction of Camera Chromatism) successfully applied in X-Shooter. Other optical sub-systems are the imaging Acquisition Camera, the Calibration Unit and a pre-slit Common Path. We describe the optical design of the five sub-systems and report their performance in terms of spectral format, throughput and optical quality. This work is part of a series of contributions describing the SOXS design and properties as it is about to face the Final Design Review., 9 pages, 9 figures, published in SPIE Proceedings 10702

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is a unique spectroscopic facility that will operate at the ESO New Technology Telescope (NTT) in La Silla from 2020 onward. The spectrograph will be able to cover simultaneously the UV-VIS and NIR bands exploiting two different arms and a Common Path feeding system. We present the design of the SOXS instrument control electronics. The electronics controls all the movements, alarms, cabinet temperatures, and electric interlocks of the instrument. We describe the main design concept. We decided to follow the ESO electronic design guidelines to minimize project time and risks and to simplify system maintenance. The design envisages Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) industrial components (e.g. Beckhoff PLC and EtherCAT fieldbus modules) to obtain a modular design and to increase the overall reliability and maintainability. Preassembled industrial motorized stages are adopted allowing for high precision assembly standards and a high reliability. The electronics is kept off-board whenever possible to reduce thermal issues and instrument weight and to increase the accessibility for maintenance purpose. The instrument project went through the Preliminary Design Review in 2017 and is currently in Final Design Phase (with FDR in July 2018). This paper outlines the status of the work and is part of a series of contributions describing the SOXS design and properties after the instrument Preliminary Design Review., 10 pages, 7 figures, to be publised in SPIE Proceedings 10707-90

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) will be a spectrograph for the ESO NTT telescope capable to cover the optical and NIR bands, based on the heritage of the X-Shooter at the ESO-VLT. SOXS will be built and run by an international consortium, carrying out rapid and longer term Target of Opportunity requests on a variety of astronomical objects. SOXS will observe all kind of transient and variable sources from different surveys. These will be a mixture of fast alerts (e.g. gamma-ray bursts, gravitational waves, neutrino events), mid-term alerts (e.g. supernovae, X-ray transients), fixed time events (e.g. close-by passage of minor bodies). While the focus is on transients and variables, still there is a wide range of other astrophysical targets and science topics that will benefit from SOXS. The design foresees a spectrograph with a Resolution-Slit product ~ 4500, capable of simultaneously observing over the entire band the complete spectral range from the U- to the H-band. The limiting magnitude of R~20 (1 hr at S/N~10) is suited to study transients identified from on-going imaging surveys. Light imaging capabilities in the optical band (grizy) are also envisaged to allow for multi-band photometry of the faintest transients. This paper outlines the status of the project, now in Final Design Phase., Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, to be published in SPIE Proceedings 10702

Isomerization and carbon chemistry in the gas phase are key processes in many scientific studies. Here we report on the isomerization process from linear $${{\rm C}}_{10}^ -$$ C 10 - to its monocyclic isomer. $${{\rm C}}_{10}^ -$$ C 10 - ions were trapped in an electrostatic ion beam trap and then excited with a laser pulse of precise energy. The neutral products formed upon photoexcitation were measured as a function of time after the laser pulse. It was found using a statistical model that, although the system is excited above its isomerization barrier energy, the actual isomerization from linear to monocyclic conformation takes place on a very long time scale of up to hundreds of microseconds. This finding may indicate a general phenomenon that can affect the interstellar medium chemistry of large molecule formation as well as other gas phase processes.

SOXS (Son of X-shooter) is a wide band, medium resolution spectrograph for the ESO NTT with a first light expected in early 2021. The instrument will be composed by five semi-independent subsystems: a pre-slit Common Path (CP), an Acquisition Camera (AC), a Calibration Unit (CU), the NIR spectrograph, and the UV-VIS spectrograph. In this paper, we present the mechanical design of the subsystems, the kinematic mounts developed to simplify the final integration procedure and the maintenance. The concept of the CP and NIR optomechanical mounts developed for a simple pre- alignment procedure and for the thermal compensation of reflective and refractive elements will be shown.

SOXS (Son of X-Shooter) will be the new medium resolution (R~4500 for a 1 arcsec slit), high-efficiency, wide band spectrograph for the ESO-NTT telescope on La Silla. It will be able to cover simultaneously optical and NIR bands (350-2000nm) using two different arms and a pre-slit Common Path feeding system. SOXS will provide an unique facility to follow up any kind of transient event with the best possible response time in addition to high efficiency and availability. Furthermore, a Calibration Unit and an Acquisition Camera System with all the necessary relay optics will be connected to the Common Path sub-system. The Acquisition Camera, working in optical regime, will be primarily focused on target acquisition and secondary guiding, but will also provide an imaging mode for scientific photometry. In this work we give an overview of the Acquisition Camera System for SOXS with all the different functionalities. The optical and mechanical design of the system are also presented together with the preliminary performances in terms of optical quality, throughput, magnitude limits and photometric properties.

Son Of X-Shooter (SOXS) is the new instrument for the ESO 3.5 m New Technology Telescope (NTT) in La Silla site (Chile) devised for the spectroscopic follow-up of transient sources. SOXS is composed by two medium resolution spectrographs able to cover the 350-2000 nm interval. An Acquisition Camera will provide a light imaging capability in the visible band. We present the procedure foreseen for the Assembly, Integration and Test activities (AIT) of SOXS that will be carried out at sub-systems level at various consortium partner premises and at system level both in Europe and Chile.

Son of X-Shooter (SOXS) will be a high-efficiency spectrograph with a mean Resolution-Slit product of 4500 (goal 5000) over the entire band capable of simultaneously observing the complete spectral range 350-2000 nm. It consists of three scientific arms (the UV-VIS Spectrograph, the NIR Spectrograph and the Acquisition Camera) connected by the Common Path system to the NTT and the Calibration Unit. The Common Path is the backbone of the instrument and the interface to the NTT Nasmyth focus flange. The light coming from the focus of the telescope is split by the common path optics into the two different optical paths in order to feed the two spectrographs and the acquisition camera. The instrument project went through the Preliminary Design Review in 2017 and is currently in Final Design Phase (with FDR in July 2018). This paper outlines the status of the Common Path system and is accompanied by a series of contributions describing the SOXS design and properties after the instrument Preliminary Design Review.

We present the NIR spectrograph of the Son Of XShooter (SOXS) instrument for the ESO-NTT telescope at La Silla (Chile). SOXS is a R~4,500 mean resolution spectrograph, with a simultaneously coverage from about 0.35 to 2.00 {\mu}m. It will be mounted at the Nasmyth focus of the NTT. The two UV-VIS-NIR wavelength ranges will be covered by two separated arms. The NIR spectrograph is a fully cryogenic echelle-dispersed spectrograph, working in the range 0.80-2.00 {\mu}m, equipped with an Hawaii H2RG IR array from Teledyne, working at 40 K. The spectrograph will be cooled down to about 150 K, to lower the thermal background, and equipped with a thermal filter to block any thermal radiation above 2.0 {\mu}m. In this poster we will show the main characteristics of the instrument along with the expected performances at the telescope., Comment: SPIE Conference, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation

A novel experiment has been commissioned at the Weizmann Institute of Science for the study of weak interactions via a high-precision measurement of the beta–neutrinoangular correlation in the radioactive decay of short-lived 6He. The facility consists of a 14 MeV d + t neutron generator to produce atomic 6 He, followed by ionization and bunching in an electron beam ion source, and injection into an electrostatic ion beam trap. This ion trap has been designed for efficient detection of the decay products from trapped light ions . The storage time in the trap for different stable ions was found to be in the range of 0.6 to 1.2 s at the chamber pressure of ∼ 7 × 10−10 mbar. We present the initial test results of the facility, and also demonstrate an important upgrade of an existing method (Stora et al., 2012) for production of light radioactive atoms, viz. 6He, for the precision measurement. The production rate of 6He atoms in the present setup has been estimated to be ∼ 1 . 45 × 1 0 − 4 atoms per neutron, and the system efficiency was found to be 4.0 ± 0.6%. An improvement to this setup is also presented for the enhanced production and diffusion of radioactive atoms for future use.

SOXS (Son Of X-Shooter) is a new spectrograph for the ESO NTT telescope, currently in the final design phase. The main instrument goal is to allow the characterization of transient sources based on alerts. It will cover from near-infrared to visible bands with a spectral resolution of $R \sim 4500$ using two separate, wavelength-optimized spectrographs. A visible camera, primarily intended for target acquisition and secondary guiding, will also provide a scientific "light" imaging mode. In this paper we present the current status of the design of the SOXS instrument control software, which is in charge of controlling all instrument functions and detectors, coordinating the execution of exposures, and implementing all observation, calibration and maintenance procedures. Given the extensive experience of the SOXS consortium in the development of instruments for the VLT, we decided to base the design of the Control System on the same standards, both for hardware and software control. We illustrate the control network, the instrument functions and detectors to be controlled, the overall design of SOXS Instrument Software (INS) and its main components. Then, we provide details about the control software for the most SOXS-specific features: control of the COTS-based imaging camera, the flexures compensation system and secondary guiding., 8 pages, 5 figures

SOXS will be a unique spectroscopic facility for the ESO NTT telescope able to cover the optical and NIR bands thanks to two different arms: the UV-VIS (350-850 nm), and the NIR (800-1800 nm). In this article, we describe the design of the visible camera cryostat and the architecture of the acquisition system. The UV-VIS detector system is based on a e2v CCD 44-82, a custom detector head coupled with the ESO continuous ow cryostats (CFC) cooling system and the NGC CCD controller developed by ESO. This paper outlines the status of the system and describes the design of the different parts that made up the UV-VIS arm and is accompanied by a series of contributions describing the SOXS design solutions., 9 pages, 13 figures, to be published in SPIE Proceedings 10702

We determined absolute rate coefficients for the recurrent fluorescence (RF) process in C6– anions at excitation energies above the adiabatic electron attachment energy of 4.18 eV. The experiment was performed by extracting C6– ions from a sputter ion source and storing them in a bent electrostatic ion beam trap. After 1 s of storage, during which the anions cooled down to temperatures close to room temperature, they were excited by a short laser pulse and the neutralization rate due to vibrational autodetachment (VAD) was measured as a function of time at several wavelengths. Due to the different energy dependence of the two competing decays via the RF and the VAD process, their contributions to the measured total decay rate coefficients could be disentangled. For excitation energies ≲4.6 eV, the decay is found to be dominated by the RF process with decay rate coefficients on the order of 5 × 104 s–1. The result clearly demonstrates the presence of the RF process in C6– and illustrates the importance of ...

We describe progress made with a liquid-Xe (LXe) detector coupled to a gaseous photomultiplier (GPM), for combined imaging and spectroscopy of fast neutrons and gamma-rays in the MeV range. The purpose of this detector is to enable the detection of hidden explosives and fissile materials in cargo and containers. The expected position resolution is about 2 m and 3.5 mm for fast neutrons and gamma-rays, respectively. Experimental results obtained using an 241Am source yielded energy and time resolutions of 11% and 1.2 ns RMS, respectively. Initial results obtained with the position-sensitive GPM are presented.

The bubble-assisted Liquid Hole Multiplier (LHM) is a recently-proposed concept for the combined detection of ionization electrons and primary scintillation photons in noble-liquid time projection chambers. The LHM comprises a perforated micro-pattern electrode (e.g. Thick Gas Electron Multiplier - THGEM, or Gas Electron Multiplier - GEM) immersed in the liquid, with a bubble of the noble gas supported underneath. Ionization electrons and scintillation-induced photoelectrons extracted from a cesium iodide photocathode drift through the electrode's holes and induce electroluminescence (EL) signals in the bubble; these are recorded by photon detectors located closely below the electrode. We present recent results in the development of LHMs, comparing the response of different electrodes to ionization and photon-induced electrons., Presented at 2016 IEEE NSS/MIC, Strasbourg, France, 29 October - 5 November 2016

A Velocity Map Imaging (VMI) spectrometer has been designed and integrated with an electrostatic ion beam trap to study delayed electron emission from trapped polyatomic anions upon photodetachment. The VMI spectrometer is small in size and can record a wide range of photoelectron energies, with variable magnification. Delayed electron emission can be recorded in our experimental setup for any time duration after the photoexcitation of the polyatomic anions. Experiments were carried out with trapped O- and C5- ions to demonstrate the capability of the spectrometer. Delayed electron emissions from C5- as well as prompt photoelectrons from O- were detected by the VMI spectrometer upon photoexcitation. The design and performance of the spectrometer are presented in detail.

Autoresonance (AR) cooling of a bunch of ions oscillating inside an electrostatic ion beam trap is demonstrated for the first time. The relatively wide initial longitudinal velocity distribution is reduced by at least an order of magnitude using AR acceleration and ramping forces. The hot ions escaping the bunch are not lost from the system but continue to oscillate in the trap outside of the bunch and may be further cooled by successive AR processes. Ion-ion collisions inside the bunch close to the turning points in the trap's mirrors contribute to the thermalization of the ions. This cooling method can be applied to any mass and any charge.

Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) can be used to detect weak magnetic fields and have traditionally been the most sensitive magnetometers available. However, because of their relatively large effective size (on the order of 1 µm), the devices have so far been unable to achieve the level of sensitivity required to detect the field generated by the spin magnetic moment (μB) of a single electron. Here we show that nanoscale SQUIDs with diameters as small as 46 nm can be fabricated on the apex of a sharp tip. The nano-SQUIDs have an extremely low flux noise of 50 nΦ0 Hz(-1/2) and a spin sensitivity of down to 0.38 μB Hz(-1/2), which is almost two orders of magnitude better than previous devices. They can also operate over a wide range of magnetic fields, providing a sensitivity of 0.6 μB Hz(-1/2) at 1 T. The unique geometry of our nano-SQUIDs makes them well suited to scanning probe microscopy, and we use the devices to image vortices in a type II superconductor, spaced 120 nm apart, and to record magnetic fields due to alternating currents down to 50 nT.

An electrostatic cryogenic storage ring, CSR, for beams of anions and cations with up to 300 keV kinetic energy per unit charge has been designed, constructed and put into operation. With a circumference of 35 m, the ion-beam vacuum chambers and all beam optics are in a cryostat and cooled by a closed-cycle liquid helium system. At temperatures as low as (5.5 $\pm$ 1) K inside the ring, storage time constants of several minutes up to almost an hour were observed for atomic and molecular, anion and cation beams at an energy of 60 keV. The ion-beam intensity, energy-dependent closed-orbit shifts (dispersion) and the focusing properties of the machine were studied by a system of capacitive pickups. The Schottky-noise spectrum of the stored ions revealed a broadening of the momentum distribution on a time scale of 1000 s. Photodetachment of stored anions was used in the beam lifetime measurements. The detachment rate by anion collisions with residual-gas molecules was found to be extremely low. A residual-gas density below 140 cm$^{-3}$ is derived, equivalent to a room-temperature pressure below 10$^{-14}$ mbar. Fast atomic, molecular and cluster ion beams stored for long periods of time in a cryogenic environment will allow experiments on collision- and radiation-induced fragmentation processes of ions in known internal quantum states with merged and crossed photon and particle beams., PDFLaTeX with 17 pages, 16 figures, 2 tables. This article has been accepted by Review of Scientific Instruments. After it is published, it will be found at http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/rsi

Absolute photoabsorption cross sections of negatively charged tetra-atomic aluminum clusters have been measured for photon energies between 1.8 and 2.7 eV. The experiment used the depletion technique in combination with an electrostatic ion-beam trap, in which ${{\mathrm{Al}}_{4}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ ions produced in a sputter ion source were stored for 90 ms before being subjected to a short laser pulse. Moreover, the competition between one-atom fragmentation and electron emission of the laser-excited ${{\mathrm{Al}}_{4}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ has been measured. These measurements show that fragmentation dominates electron emission at all photon energies below the electron attachment energy of $\ensuremath{\sim}2.2$ eV, even though the fragmentation energy is expected to be 10%--20% higher than the electron attachment energy. These findings, when taken together with the delayed-electron and fragmentation yields observed in a previous measurement [O. Aviv et al., Phys. Rev. A 83, 023201 (2011)], can be well explained within the statistical phase-space theory for unimolecular decays assuming the ${{\mathrm{Al}}_{4}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ ions to be rotationally hot. The analysis permits the determination of the adiabatic electron detachment energy of ${{\mathrm{Al}}_{4}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ to be ${E}_{\text{ad}}=(2.18\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02)$ eV and the one-atom fragmentation energy to be ${D}_{0}=(2.34\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05)$ eV. Moreover, two direct $s$-wave ionization channels are observed with threshold energies of $(2.18\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02)$ eV and $(2.45\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02)$ eV.

We report on our recent studies of dissociative recombination (DR) employing two different fragment imaging detection techniques at the TSR storage ring in Heidelberg, Germany. Principles of an upgraded 3D optical system and the new energy-sensitive multistrip detector (EMU) are explained together with possible applications in reaction dynamics studies. With the EMU imaging detector we succeeded to observe the branching ratios after DR of deuterated hydronium ions D(3)O(+) at energies of 0-0.5 and 4-21 eV. The branching ratios are almost constant at low energies while above 6 eV both oxygen-producing channels O + D + D + D and O + D(2) + D strongly increase and dominate by about 85% at 11 eV. To demonstrate further capabilities of our fragment imaging detectors, we also summarize some of our additional recent studies on DR of molecular ions important for astrophysics as well as for fundamental unimolecular dynamics.

In this work we discuss the mechanism behind the large electroluminescence signals observed at relatively low electric fields in the holes of a Thick Gas Electron Multiplier (THGEM) electrode immersed in liquid xenon. We present strong evidence that the scintillation light is generated in xenon bubbles trapped below the THGEM holes. The process is shown to be remarkably stable over months of operation, providing - under specific thermodynamic conditions - energy resolution similar to that of present dual-phase liquid xenon experiments. The observed mechanism may serve as the basis for the development of Liquid Hole Multipliers (LHMs), capable of producing local charge-induced electroluminescence signals in large-volume single-phase noble-liquid detectors for dark matter and neutrino physics experiments., Comment: Submitted to JINST