TY - JOUR
T1 - An H-band vector vortex coronagraph for the subaru coronagraphic extreme adaptive optics system
AU - Kühn, J.
AU - Serabyn, E.
AU - Lozi, J.
AU - Jovanovic, N.
AU - Currie, T.
AU - Guyon, O.
AU - Kudo, T.
AU - Martinache, F.
AU - Liewer, K.
AU - Singh, G.
AU - Tamura, M.
AU - Mawet, D.
AU - Hagelberg, J.
AU - Defrere, D.
N1 - Funding Information:
We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of William Anderson-Baker, the gift of OP-CCK from J. S. Lucania of E. R. Squibb and Sons, Inc., and the use of the computer at Applebrook, SmithKline Corporation. The research was supported in part by NIH grant AM 21413.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
PY - 2018/3
Y1 - 2018/3
N2 - The vector vortex is a coronagraphic imaging mode of the recently commissioned Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) platform on the 8 m Subaru Telescope. This multi-purpose high-contrast visible and near-infrared (R- to K-band) instrument is not only intended to serve as a VLT-class “planet-imager” instrument in the northern hemisphere, but also to operate as a technology demonstration testbed ahead of the ELTs-era, with a particular emphasis on small inner-working angle (IWA) coronagraphic capabilities. The given priority to small-IWA imaging led to the early design choice to incorporate focal-plane phase-mask coronagraphs. In this context, a test H-band vector vortex liquid crystal polymer waveplate was provided to SCExAO, to allow a one-to-one comparison of different small-IWA techniques on the same telescope instrument, before considering further steps. Here we present a detailed overview of the vector vortex coronagraph, from its installation and performances on the SCExAO optical bench, to the on-sky results in the extreme AO regime, as of late 2016/early 2017. To this purpose, we also provide a few recent on-sky imaging examples, notably high-contrast ADI detection of the planetary-mass companion κ Andromedae b, with a signal-to-noise ratio above 100 reached in less than 10 mn exposure time.
AB - The vector vortex is a coronagraphic imaging mode of the recently commissioned Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) platform on the 8 m Subaru Telescope. This multi-purpose high-contrast visible and near-infrared (R- to K-band) instrument is not only intended to serve as a VLT-class “planet-imager” instrument in the northern hemisphere, but also to operate as a technology demonstration testbed ahead of the ELTs-era, with a particular emphasis on small inner-working angle (IWA) coronagraphic capabilities. The given priority to small-IWA imaging led to the early design choice to incorporate focal-plane phase-mask coronagraphs. In this context, a test H-band vector vortex liquid crystal polymer waveplate was provided to SCExAO, to allow a one-to-one comparison of different small-IWA techniques on the same telescope instrument, before considering further steps. Here we present a detailed overview of the vector vortex coronagraph, from its installation and performances on the SCExAO optical bench, to the on-sky results in the extreme AO regime, as of late 2016/early 2017. To this purpose, we also provide a few recent on-sky imaging examples, notably high-contrast ADI detection of the planetary-mass companion κ Andromedae b, with a signal-to-noise ratio above 100 reached in less than 10 mn exposure time.
KW - Infrared: Planetary systems
KW - Instrumentation: High angular resolution
KW - Planets and satellites: Detection
KW - Techniques: High angular resolution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042129017&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85042129017&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/1538-3873/aa9fe5
DO - 10.1088/1538-3873/aa9fe5
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85042129017
VL - 130
JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
SN - 0004-6280
IS - 985
M1 - 035001
ER -