Juliana De Vera was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i, and is a graduate
of McKinley High School. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in
Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Juliana is still
exploring different career paths within the field and hopes to use her degree
to make meaningful contributions to Hawai’i. In her free time, she enjoys
playing basketball and spending time with her friends and family. .
Home Island: Oahu
High School: McKinley High School
Institution when accepted: UH Kapiolani CC
Site: Institute for Astronomy, Hilo (IfA). Hilo, Hawaii Island
Mentors: Christopher Hamner
Project title: Mechanical Design of Flexures in Compact Laser Diode Module for Instrumentation Development
Project Abstract:
The University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy (IfA) is committed to developing instrumentation
to further serve its mission of advancing astronomical research. The design, testing, and integration
of new advanced optical instruments plays an important role in supporting astronomy research
within the Maunakea Observatories. For optical wavelength astronomy applications, fiber optics
and lasers are common components used for assembly, verification, and calibration of
instrumentation. Efficient coupling of laser sources to single-mode optical fibers requires precision
alignment of the opto-mechanical components. Integrating the laser source and the fiber coupling
into a compact module provides practical advantages, assisting the development of astronomical
instrumentation. This project focuses on designing a stable flexure-based adjustment mechanism to
optimize the single-mode fiber coupling within a diode laser module. The incorporation of
compliant structures ensures precise positioning of a fiber-input coupler while improving
mechanical stability. Various flexure design concepts are explored using the SolidWorks
computer-aided design (CAD) software. Structural performance is evaluated through COMSOL
Multiphysics finite element analysis (FEA) simulation and validated through physical testing. After
testing, the preferred flexure design will be manufactured by 3-D printing and integrated into the
laser module. This module will support ongoing astronomy instrumentation development within
the Space Science and Engineering Initiative (SSEI) group in Hilo.
Future work could focus on incorporating additional optical
components to narrow the spectral output of the laser.