Title :
High dynamic range optical system for direct detection of exo-planets by unbalanced nulling interferometer and adaptive optics
Author :
Yokochi, K. ; Nishikawa, J. ; Murakami, N. ; Abe, L. ; Kotani, T. ; Tamura, M. ; Tavrov, A.V. ; Takeda, M. ; Kurokawa, T.
Author_Institution :
Tokyo Univ. of Agric. & Technol., Koganei, Japan
Abstract :
We proposed a pre-optical system for a stellar coronagraph to reduce stellar speckle noise for direct detection of exo-planets. It consists of an unbalanced nulling interferometer (UNI) and phase and amplitude correction (PAC) system. We demonstrated a magnification of a wavefront aberration (from lambda/138 to lambda/21 rms) by the UNI, and correction of the aberration to lambda/121 rms by the PAC. We also evaluated nulling performance of a coronagraph with the UNI-PAC system.
Keywords :
aberrations; adaptive optics; astronomical techniques; coronagraphs; extrasolar planets; light interferometry; speckle; adaptive optics; exo-planets detection; high dynamic range optical system; phase-and-amplitude correction system; stellar coronagraph; stellar speckle noise reduction; unbalanced nulling interferometer; wavefront aberration; Adaptive optics; Dynamic range; Error correction; Extrasolar planet; Mirrors; Noise reduction; Optical interferometry; Optical noise; Space technology; Speckle; (120.3180) Interferometry; (350.1260) Astronomical optics;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics, 2009 and 2009 Conference on Quantum electronics and Laser Science Conference. CLEO/QELS 2009. Conference on
Conference_Location :
Baltimore, MD
Print_ISBN :
978-1-55752-869-8
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-55752-869-8
