Erika Hamden
Associate Professor
- Ph.D. (2014) • Astronomy & Astrophysics • Columbia University
- M.Phil. (2010) • Astronomy & Astrophysics • Columbia University
- M.S. (2009) • Astronomy & Astrophysics • Columbia University
- A.B. (2006) • Astronomy & Astrophysics • Harvard College
- Associate Professor Astrophysics, Steward Observatory, Director of the Arizona Space Institute, University of Arizona.
- Focus on UV technology development, including detectors and gratings. Building UV spectrographs (Aspera & FIREBall-funded, Hyperion & NOX- proposals). Developing future generations of mission PIs through the PI Launchpad
Plot showing quantum efficiency models at UV wavelengths for three different anti-reflection coatings. Purple single layer coating has the widest bandpass, but lowest performance. Blue 5-layer coating had the highest performance but at a narrow bandpass. Red 3-layer coating is in between these two. The coatings were optimized for the FIREBall-2 UV Spectrograph.
- Ultraviolet Silicon Detectors for Astrophysics
- Single-Photon Counting UV Detectors
- High efficiency UV gratings
- UV Optical coatings, both mirror and anti-reflection
- Optical alignment
- Large UV Mission Concepts
- Developing High Efficiency, photon counting UV detectors and seeing their incorporation into operating missions.
- Becoming the PI of an Explorer mission.
- Teaching future PIs the process of mission development through the PI Launchpad.
- Providing motivation for increased funding for technology development and across all of SMD.