High-contrast imaging with a self-coherent camera

Direct imaging of exoplanets is very challenging because the planet is 104 to 1010 fainter than the star at a separation of a fraction of arcsec. Several coronagraphs have been proposed to reduce the contrast ratio but their performance strongly depends on the level of phase and amplitude aberrations that induce speckles in the science image. An active control of the aberrations and a posteriori calibration are thus required to reach very high contrasts. Classical adaptive optics are not sufficient for this purpose because of non-common path aberrations. Our team proposed a self-coherent camera that spatially modulates the speckles in the science image. It is then possible to both actively control a deformable mirror and calibrate the residuals a posteriori. The current paper is an overview of the developments we have been working on for 7 years. We present the principle of the self-coherent camera, laboratory performance obtained in monochromatic light, and upgrades of the technique to make it achromatic.

[1]  B. Macintosh,et al.  Angular Differential Imaging: A Powerful High-Contrast Imaging Technique , 2005, astro-ph/0512335.

[2]  C. Aime,et al.  Achromatic dual-zone phase mask stellar coronagraph , 2003 .

[3]  N Jeremy Kasdin,et al.  Optimal one-dimensional apodizations and shaped pupils for planet finding coronagraphy. , 2005, Applied optics.

[4]  D. Mawet,et al.  Annular Groove Phase Mask Coronagraph , 2005 .

[5]  Naoshi Baba,et al.  A Method to Image Extrasolar Planets with Polarized Light , 2003 .

[6]  J. P. Laboratory,et al.  High-Contrast Imaging from Space: Speckle Nulling in a Low-Aberration Regime , 2005, astro-ph/0510597.

[7]  C. Marois,et al.  Differential Imaging with a Multicolor Detector Assembly: A New Exoplanet Finder Concept , 2004, astro-ph/0410010.

[8]  S. Ridgway,et al.  Exoplanet Imaging with a Phase-induced Amplitude Apodization Coronagraph. I. Principle , 2004, astro-ph/0412179.

[9]  R. Galicher,et al.  Wavefront error correction and Earth-like planet detection by a self-coherent camera in space , 2008, 0807.2467.

[10]  R. Galicher,et al.  Focal plane wavefront sensor sensitivity for ELT planet finder , 2010, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[11]  Amir Give'on,et al.  Numerical propagator through PIAA optics , 2009, Optical Engineering + Applications.

[12]  J. Baudrand,et al.  Theory and laboratory tests of the multi-stage phase mask coronagraph , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[13]  A. Labeyrie,et al.  The Four-Quadrant Phase-Mask Coronagraph. I. Principle , 2000 .

[14]  A. Boccaletti,et al.  The Four‐Quadrant Phase Mask Coronagraph. IV. First Light at the Very Large Telescope , 2004 .

[15]  C. Aime,et al.  Total coronagraphic extinction of rectangular apertures using linear prolate apodizations , 2002 .

[16]  B. Macintosh,et al.  Direct Imaging of Multiple Planets Orbiting the Star HR 8799 , 2008, Science.

[17]  W. Traub,et al.  A Coronagraph with a Band-limited Mask for Finding Terrestrial Planets , 2002, astro-ph/0203455.

[18]  Pierre Baudoz,et al.  The Self-Coherent Camera: a new tool for planet detection , 2005, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union.

[19]  R. Galicher,et al.  Experimental results on wavefront correction using the self-coherent camera , 2012, Other Conferences.

[20]  Pierre Baudoz,et al.  Self-coherent camera: first results of a high-contrast imaging bench in visible light , 2010, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[21]  Jean-Pierre Véran,et al.  TMT NFIRAOS: adaptive optics system for the Thirty Meter Telescope , 2012, Other Conferences.

[22]  Olivier Guyon,et al.  SPICES: spectro-polarimetric imaging and characterization of exoplanetary systems , 2012, 1203.0507.

[23]  Pierre Baudoz,et al.  Self-coherent camera as a focal plane wavefront sensor: simulations , 2009, 0911.2465.

[24]  Pierre Baudoz,et al.  The Self-Coherent Camera : a focal plane sensor for EPICS ? , 2010 .

[25]  R. Galicher,et al.  Estimation and correction of wavefront aberrations using the self-coherent camera: laboratory results , 2013 .

[26]  T. Fusco,et al.  A probable giant planet imaged in the beta Pictoris disk. VLT/NaCo deep L'-band imaging , 2008, 0811.3583.

[27]  R. Galicher,et al.  Expected performance of a self-coherent camera , 2007 .

[28]  Julien H. Girard,et al.  L'-band AGPM vector vortex coronagraph's first light on VLT/NACO. Discovery of a late-type companion , 2013, 1304.0930.

[29]  Pierre Baudoz,et al.  Experimental parametric study of the self-coherent camera , 2012, Other Conferences.

[30]  Pierre Baudoz,et al.  Dark hole and planet detection: laboratory results using the self-coherent camera , 2012, Other Conferences.

[31]  F. Roddier,et al.  STELLAR CORONOGRAPH WITH PHASE MASK , 1997 .

[32]  P. Baudoz,et al.  Multi-stage four-quadrant phase mask: achromatic coronagraph for space-based and ground-based telescopes , 2011, 1104.2903.

[33]  Amir Give'on,et al.  Broadband wavefront correction algorithm for high-contrast imaging systems , 2007, SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications.