Phase masks have numerous applications in astronomical optics, in particular related to two themes: coronography for detection and analysis of extrasolar planets or circumstellar disks, and wavefront analysis for extremely precise adaptive optics systems or cophasing of segmented mirrors. I review some of the literature concerning phase masks and attempt to bridge the gap between two instrumental systems in which they are often found: the Mach-Zehnder interferometer and the coronograph.
@article{arxiv.1807.09852,
title = {Phase masks in astronomy: From the Mach-Zehnder interferometer to Coronographs},
author = {Kjetil Dohlen},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1807.09852},
year = {2018}
}
Comments
12 pages, 10 figures. Invited College de France seminar presented during the conference Astronomy with High Contrast Imaging II in Nice 2003