The phase induced amplitude apodization coronagraph: An overview of simulations and laboratory effort

Eugene A. Pluzhnik, Olivier Guyon, Stephen Ridgway, Robert Woodruff, Celia Blain, Frantz Martinache, Raphael Galicher

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The high contrast (typically 1010) and small angular separation between a planet and its parent star are the main challenges that need to be overcome to detect and characterize Earth-like planets around the nearest stars. Therefore, exoplanet imaging requires the use of a coronagraph, that ideally efficiently cancels the light from the star and has minimal influence on the planet image. The Phase Induced Amplitude Apodization Coronagraph relies on pupil apodization by geometrical remapping of the flux in the pupil plane. This method combines the advantages of classical pupil apodization with high throughput (≈100%) and high angular resolution (≈λ/D), and has some unique advantages over most coronagraphs, such as low chromaticity, low sensitivity to stellar angular size and to small pointing errors. As a result, planet detection time is about 50-100 times shorter in comparison with classical coronagraphic techniques (Martinache et al. 2005). Both the advantages of the PIAAC and the main factors affecting the performance of the coronograph will be examined in our laboratory experiment in which high quality PIAA optics wilkl be combined with wavefront control to demonstrate achromatic high contrast imaging (10 6 or more) at small angular separation (less than 2λ/D). We present here a description and current status of this experiment together with a short analyses of the main factors affecting the performance of the coronograph.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)489-494
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Volume1
Issue numberC200
DOIs
StatePublished - 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Apodization
  • Coronagraphy
  • Diffraction propagation
  • Direct exoplanet imaging
  • Pupil remapping

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Space and Planetary Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The phase induced amplitude apodization coronagraph: An overview of simulations and laboratory effort'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this