High Contrast Spectroscopy Testbed (HCST): Experimental Results with an Apodized Vortex Coronagraph
Author
Bertrou-Cantou, A.Llop-Sayson, J.
Liberman, J.
Mawet, D.
Hagopian, J.G.
Ruane, G.
Riggs, A.J.E.
Serabyn, E.
Affiliation
James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, University of ArizonaIssue Date
2023-10-05
Metadata
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SPIECitation
A. Bertrou-Cantou, J. Llop-Sayson, J. Liberman, D. Mawet, J. G. Hagopian, G. Ruane, A. J. Eldorado Riggs, E. Serabyn, "High contrast spectroscopy testbed (HCST): experimental results with an apodized vortex coronagraph," Proc. SPIE 12680, Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets XI, 126801B (5 October 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2677902Rights
© 2023 SPIE. (2023) Published by SPIE.Collection Information
This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at repository@u.library.arizona.edu.Abstract
The High Contrast Spectroscopy Testbed (HCST) in the Exoplanet Technology laboratory (ETlab) at Caltech is an in-air testbed hosting all key components necessary to demonstrate coronagraphic performance in broadband light with the vortex coronagraph. The testbed was recently upgraded with the aim of closing the remaining technological gaps in terms of pupil segmentation and to demonstrate our main objective: achieving 10−8 contrast in broadband light. As part of the HCST redesign, a new apodizer has been manufactured using carbon nanotubes acting as microdots to encode a grayscale pattern. This technology presents a very low reflectance conducive to highly efficient amplitude apodization. We demonstrate raw contrasts of 1 × 10−8 with the apodized vortex coronagraph, both in narrowband and broadband light (10% bandwidth), and with the use of wavefront control. The use of an apodizer enables to deal with the diffraction caused by the segment gaps and successfully eliminates this source of starlight leakage for the vortex coronagraph to the 10−8 level. © 2023 SPIE.Note
Immediate accessISSN
0277-786XISBN
978-151066574-3Version
Final Published Versionae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1117/12.2677902