Black Silicon BRDF and Polarization for Coronagraphic Pupil Masks

Emory L. Jenkins, Ramya M. Anche, Kyle J. Van Gorkom, A. J.Eldorado Riggs, Ewan S. Douglas

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Future space observatories will likely have segmented primaries, causing diffraction effects that reduce coronagraph performance. Reflective binary pupil apodizer masks can mitigate these, with the metamaterial black silicon (BSi) showing promise as a strong absorber. To bring contrast ratios to the 10−10 level as needed to observe Earth-like exoplanets, feature sizes on these BSi masks will need to be less than 5 microns when paired with MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) deformable mirrors. As scalar diffraction cannot reliably model this feature size, we developed a Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) model of BSi masks using Meep software. We characterize the FDTD-derived polarization-dependent bidirectional reflectance distribution function of BSi and discuss the model’s shortcomings.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024
Subtitle of host publicationOptical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
EditorsLaura E. Coyle, Shuji Matsuura, Marshall D. Perrin
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510675070
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave - Yokohama, Japan
Duration: Jun 16 2024Jun 22 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume13092
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityYokohama
Period6/16/246/22/24

Keywords

  • Black silicon
  • coronagraph
  • FDTD
  • pupil mask

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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