Vortex-phase filtering technique for extracting spatial information from unresolved sources

Ruane, Garreth; Kanburapa, Prachyathit; Han, Jiaxuan; Swartzlander, Grover A.

doi:10.1364/ao.53.004503

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(42 reference statements)

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“…For |c L | 2 < 10 −4 , the retardance error requirement is ∼ 1 • , which may be achieved over substantial bandwidths using multi-layer LC. 45,46 3.6.2 Scalar vortex fiber nuller Scalar vortex approaches using spiral phase plates 47,48 or dispersion-compensated holograms, 49,50 though appearing earlier in the literature, [51][52][53] have not received as much attention in the context of exoplanet detection and characterization methods. However, there are several viable methods for implementing a scalar vortex fiber nuller.…”

Section: Vector Vortex Fiber Nullermentioning

confidence: 99%

Vortex fiber nulling for exoplanet observations: conceptual design, theoretical performance, and initial scientific yield predictions

Ruane¹,

Echeverri²,

Jovanović

et al. 2019

Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets IX

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Vortex fiber nulling (VFN) is a method that may enable the detection and characterization of exoplanets at small angular separations (0.5-2 λ/D) with ground-and space-based telescopes. Since the field of view is within the inner working angle of most coronagraphs, nulling accesses non-transiting planets that are otherwise too close to their star for spectral characterization by other means, thereby significantly increasing the number of known exoplanets available for direct spectroscopy in the near-infrared. Furthermore, VFN targets planets on closer-in orbits which tend to have more favorable planet-to-star flux ratios in reflected light. Here, we present the theory and applications of VFN, show that the optical performance is approximately equivalent for a variety of implementations and aperture shapes, and discuss the trade-offs between throughput and engineering requirements using numerical simulations. We compare vector and scalar approaches and, finally, show that beam shaping optics may be used to significantly improve the throughput for planet light. Based on theoretical performance, we estimate the number of known planets and theoretical exoEarths accessible with a VFN instrument linked to a high-resolution spectrograph on the future Thirty Meter Telescope.

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Section: Vector Vortex Fiber Nullermentioning

confidence: 99%

Vortex fiber nulling for exoplanet observations: conceptual design, theoretical performance, and initial scientific yield predictions

Ruane¹,

Echeverri²,

Jovanović

et al. 2019

Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets IX

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“…21 However, the method that has provided the best coronagraph performance in the visible is using multiple layers of liquid crystal polymers to make up a spatially-variant diffractive waveplate. 22,23 Send correspondence to gruane@jpl.nasa.gov Scalar vortex coronagraph approaches using spiral phase plates 24 or dispersion compensated holograms 25,26 have not received as much attention in this context, despite the fact that the methods for producing a scalar optical vortex appear earlier in the literature. [27][28][29] Here, we introduce scalar vortex concepts, investigate the coronagraph performance with a scalar vortex coronagraph based on the spiral phase plate and similar phase masks, and re-visit an early proposal by Swartzlander (2006) 30 to combine multiple materials to produce achromatic focal plane masks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scalar vortex coronagraph mask design and predicted performance

Ruane

Mawet

Riggs

et al. 2019

Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets IX

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Vortex coronagraphs are an attractive solution for imaging exoplanets with future space telescopes due to their relatively high throughput, large spectral bandwidth, and low sensitivity to low-order aberrations compared to other coronagraphs with similar inner working angles. Most of the vortex coronagraph mask development for space applications has focused on generating a polychromatic, vectorial, optical vortex using multiple layers of liquid crystal polymers. While this approach has been the most successful thus far, current fabrication processes achieve retardance errors of 0.1-1.0 • , which causes a nonnegligible fraction of the starlight to leak through the coronagraph. Circular polarizers are typically used to reject the stellar leakage reducing the throughput by a factor of two. Vector vortex masks also complicate wavefront control because they imprint conjugated phase ramps on the orthogonal circular polarization components, which may need to be split in order to properly sense and suppress the starlight. Scalar vortex masks can potentially circumvent these limitations by applying the same phase shift to all incident light regardless of the polarization state and thus have the potential to significantly improve the performance of vortex coronagraphs. We present scalar vortex coronagraph designs that make use of focal plane masks with multiple layers of dielectrics that (a) produce phase patterns that are relatively friendly to standard manufacturing processes and (b) achieve sufficient broadband starlight suppression, in theory, for imaging Earth-like planets with future space telescopes.

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“…Qualitatively similar to a tip-tilt error, a partially resolved star will leak light in the coronagraph and reduce the contrast, an effect which affects more dramatically phase masks with smaller inner working angle (Guyon et al 2006). However, a measurement of the maximal attenuation depth with m ¼ 2 vortex coronagraphs could be conversely used to estimate precisely the angular diameter of the target star (Ruane et al 2014).…”

Section: High-contrast Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Astrophotonics: astronomy and modern optics

Minardi¹,

Harris

Labadie

2021

Astron Astrophys Rev

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Much of the progress in astronomy has been driven by instrumental developments, from the first telescopes to fiber fed spectrographs. In this review, we describe the field of astrophotonics, a combination of photonics and astronomical instrumentation that is gaining importance in the development of current and future instrumentation. We begin with the science cases that have been identified as possibly benefiting from astrophotonic devices. We then discuss devices, methods and developments in the field along with the advantages they provide. We conclude by describing possible future perspectives in the field and their influence on astronomy.

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Vortex-phase filtering technique for extracting spatial information from unresolved sources

Cited by 12 publications

References 29 publications

Vortex fiber nulling for exoplanet observations: conceptual design, theoretical performance, and initial scientific yield predictions

Vortex fiber nulling for exoplanet observations: conceptual design, theoretical performance, and initial scientific yield predictions

Scalar vortex coronagraph mask design and predicted performance

Astrophotonics: astronomy and modern optics

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