Design tradeoffs for a high spectral resolution mid-infrared echelle spectrograph on the Thirty-Meter Telescope

A feasibility design study was undertaken to assess the requirements of a mid-infrared echelle spectrograph (MIRES) with a resolving power of 120,000 and its associated mid-infrared adaptive optics (MIRAO) system on the Thirty-Meter Telescope. Our baseline design incorporates a 2Kx2K Si:As array or array mosaic for the spectrograph and a 1Kx1K Si:As array for the slit viewer. Various tradeoffs were studied to minimize risk and to optimize the sensitivity of the instrument. Major challenges are to integrate the spectrograph to the MIRAO system and, later, to an adaptive secondary, the procurement of a suitable window and large KRS-5 lenses, and the acquisition of large format mid-IR detector arrays suitable for the range of background conditions. We conclude that the overall risk is relatively low and there is no technical reason that should prevent this instrument from being ready for use at first light on the ThirtyMeter Telescope.