Migration of ESO detector testbench control software to Python
ESO's detector systems team is amongst others putting significant effort into the characterisation of its partially unique optical detectors prior to installation and use in the cameras at the telescope. The opto-electronic characterisation and testing is done on dedicated detector testbenches enabling a controlled illumination of the precious astronomical detectors. This can include a flat illumination or the projection of patterns at a certain wavelength and bandwidth.
Hardware control currently involves software scripts of multiple programming languages - amongst them LabVIEW and IDL. It is the goal to enable full control of ouroptical detector test facility via Python, which includes hardware control, automated data acquisition and data evaluation scripts.
Beside coding in Python the task would include the verification and test of the software on the real hardware such as monochromator, filter-wheels, light source, linear stages and the detector control electronics