Related papers: Estimation and correction of wavefront aberrations…
A major goal of proposed future space observatories, such as the Habitable World Observatory, is to directly image and characterize Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars to search for habitability signatures requiring the starlight…
A new generation of telescopes with mirror diameters of 20 m or more, called extremely large telescopes (ELTs) has the potential to provide unprecedented imaging and spectroscopy of exo-planetary systems, if the difficulties in achieving…
Direct imaging of Earth-like planets is one of the main science cases for the next generation of extremely large telescopes. This is very challenging due to the star-planet contrast that must be overcome. Most current high-contrast imaging…
We present a segment-level wavefront stability error budget for space telescopes essential for exoplanet detection. We use a detailed finite element model to relate the temperature gradient at the location of the primary mirror to wavefront…
The detection of molecular species in the atmospheres of earth-like exoplanets orbiting nearby stars requires an optical system that suppresses starlight and maximizes the sensitivity to the weak planet signals at small angular separations.…
Imaging planets in reflected light, a key focus of future NASA missions and ELTs, requires advanced wavefront control to maintain a deep, temporally correlated null of stellar halo -- i.e. a dark hole -- at just several diffraction beam…
We compare coronagraph concepts and investigate their behavior and suitability for planet finder projects with Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs, 30-42 meters class telescopes). For this task, we analyze the impact of major error sources…
The Habitable Worlds Observatory requires active speckle suppression to directly image Earth-like exoplanets. Focal plane wavefront sensing and control allows us to detect, and subsequently remove, time-varying speckles through measurements…
We present a new method to achieve high-contrast images using segmented and/or on-axis telescopes. Our approach relies on using two sequential Deformable Mirrors to compensate for the large amplitude excursions in the telescope aperture due…
The electric field conjugation (EFC) algorithm has shown promise for removing scattered starlight from high-contrast imaging measurements, both in numerical simulations and laboratory experiments. To prepare for the deployment of EFC using…
The Santa Cruz Extreme AO Lab (SEAL) testbed is an optical bench meant to design and develop new wavefront control techniques for high-contrast imaging for segmented telescopes. These techniques allow for astronomical efficiency in…
Exoplanet direct imaging using adaptive optics (AO) is often limited by non-common path aberrations (NCPAs) and aberrations that are invisible to traditional pupil-plane wavefront sensors (WFSs). This can be remedied by focal-plane (FP)…
The detection and characterization of Earth-like exoplanets is one of the major science drivers for the next generation of telescopes. Current direct imaging instruments are limited by evolving non-common path aberrations (NCPAs). The NCPAs…
The direct imaging of potentially habitable exoplanets is one prime science case for high-contrast imaging instruments on extremely large telescopes. Most such exoplanets orbit close to their host stars, where their observation is limited…
Direct imaging of Earth-like exoplanets requires high contrast imaging capability and high angular resolution. Primary mirror segmentation is a key technological solution for large-aperture telescopes because it opens the path toward…
We present a practical apparatus for characterizing optical aberrations of large collimation mirrors and lenses, and give a detailed analysis of wavefront-detection errors. We utilize a scanning pentaprism technique for precise measurements…
The new frontier in the quest for the highest contrast levels in the focal plane of a coronagraph is now the correction of the large diffractive artifacts effects introduced at the science camera by apertures of increasing complexity. The…
We propose a high-contrast coronagraph for direct imaging of young Jupiter-like planets orbiting nearby bright stars. The coronagraph employs a step-transmission filter in which the intensity is apodized with a finite number of steps of…
Existing Electric Field Conjugation (EFC) methods are not suited for treating small polarization effects, referred to here as cross polarization. EFC utilizes a deformable mirror (DM) to nullify the electric fields from the host star within…
Broadband coronagraphy with deep nulling and small inner working angle has the potential of delivering images and spectra of exoplanets and other faint objects. In recent years, many coronagraphic schemes have been proposed, the most…