Development And Focal Ratio Degradation Optimisation Of Integral Field Units On Hector

New optical fibre spectroscopic imaging devices for astronomy are being developed with very high throughput and excellent optical performance. Hector is a new generation multi-object Integral Field Spectroscopy (IFS) instrument that will utilise these high-performance fibre imaging devices called "hexabundles". They are being developed in the Sydney Astrophotonic Instrumentation Laboratories (SAIL) at the University of Sydney. Hector is planned to be using these hexabundles on-sky by 2020 to carry out one of the world largest IFS galaxy surveys at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT). The hexabundles contain up to 169 multi-mode Ceramoptec WF103/123um fibres per device, subtending a 26 arcseconds view with a spectrum at each fibre position for each galaxy. For astronomical instruments, optical fibres give significant flexibility in configuring a focal plane, but focal ratio degradation (FRD) can affect the performance of the optical fibres and directly influence the efficiency of any galaxy survey observed. Breakthroughs in glass fibre processing at SAIL have enabled hexabundles with minimal FRD - and therefore optimal performance. We will present the new developments in the SAIL labs and the resulting performance of new hexabundle devices for Hector and for other future applications.