Alignment of the SPHERE-ZIMPOL imaging polarimeter

Johan Pragt; Ronald Roelfsema; Daniel Gisler; Francois Wildi; Hans M. Schmid; Florence Rigal; Eddy Elswijk; Menno de Haan; Andreas Bazzon; Kjetil Dohlen; A. Costille; Carsten Dominik

doi:10.1117/12.926766

24 September 2012 Alignment of the SPHERE-ZIMPOL imaging polarimeter

Johan Pragt, Ronald Roelfsema, Daniel Gisler, Francois Wildi, Hans M. Schmid, Florence Rigal, Eddy Elswijk, Menno de Haan, Andreas Bazzon, Kjetil Dohlen, A. Costille, Carsten Dominik

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8446, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV; 844697 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926766
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

ZIMPOL is the high contrast imaging polarimeter subsystem of the ESO SPHERE instrument. ZIMPOL is dedicated to detect the very faint reflected and hence polarized visible light from extrasolar planets. ZIMPOL is located behind an extreme AO system (SAXO) and a stellar coronagraph. SPHERE is foreseen to have first light at the VLT early 2013. ZIMPOL is currently integrated in the SPHERE system and in testing phase. We describe the alignment strategy and the results of the ZIMPOL system and the related alignment of ZIMPOL into SPHERE by the aid of an alignment unit. The field selecting tip/tilt mirror alignment and it’s requirement for perpendicularity to the two detectors is described. The test setup of the polarimetric components is described. SPHERE is an instrument designed and built by a consortium consisting of IPAG, MPIA, LAM, LESIA, Fizeau, INAF, Observatoire de Genève, ETH, NOVA, ONERA and ASTRON in collaboration with ESO.

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Johan Pragt, Ronald Roelfsema, Daniel Gisler, Francois Wildi, Hans M. Schmid, Florence Rigal, Eddy Elswijk, Menno de Haan, Andreas Bazzon, Kjetil Dohlen, A. Costille, and Carsten Dominik "Alignment of the SPHERE-ZIMPOL imaging polarimeter", Proc. SPIE 8446, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, 844697 (24 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926766

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