Testing of a high-contrast imaging coronagraph based on an active liquid crystal array

Xi Zhang; Deqing Ren; Yongtian Zhu; Jiangpei Dou; Xue Wang

doi:10.1117/12.916666

5 December 2011 Testing of a high-contrast imaging coronagraph based on an active liquid crystal array

Xi Zhang, Deqing Ren, Yongtian Zhu, Jiangpei Dou, Xue Wang

Proceedings Volume 8197, 2011 International Conference on Optical Instruments and Technology: Optical Systems and Modern Optoelectronic Instruments; 81970M (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.916666
Event: International Conference on Optical Instruments and Technology (OIT2011), 2011, Beijing, Beijing, China

Abstract

Liquid crystal modulator is an active optical component that is promising to replace traditional passive optical components. For high-contrast imaging coronagraphs that are used for direct imaging of extra-solar planets, passive coronagraph optical components are often adopted. It is impossible to actively optimize such a coronagraph system to achieve its best performance. Thus we've proposed a novel high-contrast imaging coronagraph which uses a liquid crystal array (LCA) for pupil apodizing. In our test, the LCA is well calibrated for amplitude errors and amplitude non-uniformity with the entire coronagraph optics. Close-loop compensations are applied according to the amplitude calibration results. By doing so, a contrast of 10^-4 or 10^-5 can be achieved in an angular distance down to 3~5λ/D, which can be used for the direct imaging for young and Jupiter-like planets. The contrast can be further improved if a deformable mirror (DM) is deployed to correct wave-front errors induced by the LCA and the coronagraph optics.

Citation Download Citation

Xi Zhang, Deqing Ren, Yongtian Zhu, Jiangpei Dou, and Xue Wang "Testing of a high-contrast imaging coronagraph based on an active liquid crystal array", Proc. SPIE 8197, 2011 International Conference on Optical Instruments and Technology: Optical Systems and Modern Optoelectronic Instruments, 81970M (5 December 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.916666

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