SPHERE: the VLT planet imager in the post FDR phase

SPHERE, the ESO extra-solar planet imager for the VLT is aimed at the direct detection and spectral characterization of extra-solar planets. Its whole design is optimized towards reaching the highest contrast in a limited field of view and at short distances from the central star. SPHERE has passed its Final Design Review (FDR) in December 2008 and it is in the manufacturing and integration phase. We review the most challenging specifications and expected performance of this instrument; then we present the latest stage of the design chosen to meet the specifications, the progress in the manufacturing as well as the integration and test strategy to insure gradual verification of performances at all levels.

[1]  Kjetil Dohlen,et al.  The infra-red dual imaging and spectrograph for SPHERE: design and performance , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[2]  Thierry Fusco,et al.  Calibration and precompensation of noncommon path aberrations for extreme adaptive optics. , 2007, Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision.

[3]  李幼升,et al.  Ph , 1989 .

[4]  Kjetil Dohlen,et al.  SPHERE: a planet finder instrument for the VLT , 2006, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[5]  V. De Caprio,et al.  Calibration and data reduction for planet detection with SPHERE-IFS , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[6]  David Mouillet,et al.  The SPHERE XAO system: design and performance , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[7]  G. G. Stokes.  "J." , 1890, The New Yale Book of Quotations.

[8]  V. De Caprio,et al.  SPHERE IFS: the spectro differential imager of the VLT for exoplanets search , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[9]  David Mouillet,et al.  Apodized Lyot coronagraph for VLT-SPHERE: laboratory tests and performances of a first prototype in the visible , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[10]  Kjetil Dohlen,et al.  Stress polishing of toric mirrors for the VLT-SPHERE common path , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.