Brian Gordon

Coronagraph contrast demonstrations with the high-contrast imaging testbed

Predictions of contrast performance for the Eclipse coronagraphic telescope are based on computational models that are tested and validated with laboratory experience. We review recent laboratory work in the key technology areas for an actively-corrected space telescope designed for extremely high contrast imaging of nearby planetary systems. These include apodized coronagraphic masks, precision deformable mirrors, and coronagraphic algorithms for wavefront sensing and correction, as integrated in the high contrast imaging testbed at JPL. Future work will focus on requirements for the Terrestrial Planet Finder coronagraph mission.

High-contrast imaging testbed for the Terrestrial Planet Finder coronagraph

One of the architectures under consideration for Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) is a visible coronagraph. To achieve TPF science goals, the coronagraph must have extreme levels of wavefront correction (less than 1 /spl Aring/ rms over controllable spatial frequencies) and stability to get the necessary suppression of diffracted starlight (10/sup -10/ contrast). The High Contrast Imaging Testbed is the TPF platform for laboratory validation of key coronagraph technologies, as well as demonstration of a flight-traceable approach to coronagraph implementation. Various wavefront sensing approaches are under investigation on the testbed, with wavefront control provided by a precision high actuator density deformable mirror. Diffracted light control is achieved through a combination of an occulting or apodizing mask and stop; many concepts exist for these components and are explored. Contrast measurements on the testbed establishes the technical feasibility of TPF requirements, while model and error budget validation are demonstrate implementation viability. This paper describes the current testbed design and preliminary experimental results.

Performance of a precision high-density deformable mirror for extremely high contrast imaging astronomy from space

Active wavefront correction of a space telescope provides a technology path for extremely high contrast imaging astronomy at levels well beyond the capabilities of current telescope systems. A precision deformable mirror technology intended specifically for wavefront correction in a visible/near-infrared space telescope has been developed at Xinetics and extensively tested at JPL over the past several years. Active wavefront phase correction has been demonstrated to 1 Angstrom rms over the spatial frequency range accessible to a mirror with an array of actuators on a 1 mm pitch. It is based on a modular electroceramic design that is scalable to 1000s of actuator elements coupled to the surface of a thin mirror facesheet. It is controlled by a low-power multiplexed driver system. Demonstrated surface figure control, high actuator density, and low power dissipation are described. Performance specifications are discussed in the context of the Eclipse point design for a coronagraphic space telescope.

Complex apodization Lyot coronagraphy for the direct imaging of exoplanet systems: design, fabrication, and laboratory demonstration

We review the design, fabrication, performance, and future prospects for a complex apodized Lyot coronagraph for highcontrast exoplanet imaging and spectroscopy. We present a newly designed circular focal plane mask with an inner working angle of 2.5 λ/D. Thickness-profiled metallic and dielectric films superimposed on a glass substrate provide control over both the real and imaginary parts of the coronagraph wavefront. Together with a deformable mirror for control of wavefront phase, the complex Lyot coronagraph potentially exceeds billion-to-one contrast over dark fields extending to within angular separations of 2.5 λ/D from the central star, over spectral bandwidths of 20% or more, and with throughput efficiencies better than 50%. Our approach is demonstrated with a linear occulting mask, for which we report our best laboratory imaging contrast achieved to date. Raw image contrasts of 3×10-10 over 2% bandwidths, 6×10-10 over 10% bandwidths, and 2×10-9 over 20% bandwidths are consistently achieved across high contrast fields extending from an inner working angle of 3 λ/D to a radius of 15 λ/D. Occulter performance is analyzed in light of experiments and optical models, and prospects for further progress are summarized. The science capability of the hybrid Lyot coronagraph is compared with requirements for ACCESS, a representative space coronagraph concept for the direct imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanet systems. This work has been supported by NASA’s Strategic Astrophysics Technology / Technology Demonstrations for Exoplanet Missions (SAT/TDEM) program.

A Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph for the Direct Imaging and Spectroscopy of Exoplanet Systems: Recent Results and Prospects

We report our best laboratory contrast demonstrations achieved to date. We review the design, fabrication, performance, and future prospects of a hybrid focal plane occulter for exoplanet coronagraphy. Composed of thickness-profiled metallic and dielectric thin films vacuum deposited on a fused silica substrate, the hybrid occulter uses two superimposed thin films for control over both the real and imaginary parts of the complex attenuation pattern. Together with a deformable mirror for adjustment of wavefront phase, the hybrid Lyot coronagraph potentially exceeds billion-toone contrast over dark fields extending to within angular separations of 3 λ/D from the central star, over spectral bandwidths of 20% or more, and with throughput efficiencies up to 60%. We report laboratory contrasts of 3×10-10 over 2% bandwidths, 6×10-10 over 10% bandwidths, and 2×10-9 over 20% bandwidths, achieved across high contrast fields extending from an inner working angle of 3 λ/D to a radius of 15 λ/D. Occulter performance is analyzed in light of recent experiments and optical models, and prospects for further improvements are summarized. The science capabilities of the hybrid Lyot coronagraph are compared with requirements of the ACCESS mission, a representative exoplanet space telescope concept study for the direct imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanet systems. This work has been supported by NASAs Technology Demonstration for Exoplanet Missions (TDEM) program.

Design and demonstration of hybrid Lyot coronagraph masks for improved spectral bandwidth and throughput

Coronagraph focal-plane occulting masks have generally been described in terms of attenuation profiles free of any phase shift. However, phase shifts are expected and observed in physical occulting masks, with significant effect at billion-to-one coronagraph contrast levels in spectrally broad light, as required for the direct imaging and spectroscopy of nearby exoplanet systems. We report progress in the design and fabrication of hybrid focal-plane masks for Lyot coronagraphy. These masks, composed of thickness-profiled metallic and dielectric thin films superimposed on a glass substrate, are in principle band-limited in both the real and imaginary parts of the occulter characteristics. Together with a deformable mirror for control of wavefront phase, these masks offer Lyot coronagraph contrast performance better than 10-9 over spectral bandwidths of 30% or more with throughput efficiencies up to 67%. We report recent laboratory coronagraph demonstrations with vacuum-deposited nickel masks on fused silica, and preparations for the fabrication of masks with superimposed metal and dielectric layers.

Hybrid Lyot coronagraph for wide-field infrared survey telescope-astrophysics focused telescope assets: occulter fabrication and high contrast narrowband testbed demonstration

Abstract. Hybrid Lyot coronagraph (HLC) is one of the two operating modes of the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph instrument. It produces starlight suppression over the full 360-deg annular region and thus is particularly suitable to improve the discovery space around WFIRST-AFTA targets. Since being selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in December 2013, the coronagraph technology is being matured to technology readiness level 5 by September 2016. We present the progress of HLC key component fabrication and testbed demonstrations with the WFIRST-AFTA pupil. For the first time, a circular HLC occulter mask consisting of metal and dielectric layers is fabricated and characterized. Wavefront control using two deformable mirrors is successfully demonstrated in a vacuum testbed with narrowband light (<1-nm bandwidth at 516 nm) to obtain repeatable convergence below 8×10−9 mean contrast in the 360-deg dark hole with a working angle between 3λ/D and 9λ/D with arbitrary polarization. We detail the hardware and software used in the testbed, the results, and the associated analysis.

Technology development towards WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph

NASA’s WFIRST-AFTA mission concept includes the first high-contrast stellar coronagraph in space. This coronagraph will be capable of directly imaging and spectrally characterizing giant exoplanets similar to Neptune and Jupiter, and possibly even super-Earths, around nearby stars. In this paper we present the plan for maturing coronagraph technology to TRL5 in 2014-2016, and the results achieved in the first 6 months of the technology development work. The specific areas that are discussed include coronagraph testbed demonstrations in static and simulated dynamic environment, design and fabrication of occulting masks and apodizers used for starlight suppression, low-order wavefront sensing and control subsystem, deformable mirrors, ultra-low-noise spectrograph detector, and data post-processing.

Laboratory demonstrations of high-contrast imaging for space coronagraphy

Space coronagraphy is a promising method for direct imaging of planetary systems orbiting the nearby stars. The High Contrast Imaging Testbed is a laboratory facility at JPL that integrates the essential hardware and control algorithms needed for suppression of diffracted and scattered light near a target star that would otherwise obscure an associated exo-planetary system. Stable suppression of starlight by a factor of 5×10−10 has been demonstrated consistently in narrowband light over fields of view as close as four Airy radii from the star. Recent progress includes the extension of spectral bandwidths to 10% at contrast levels of 2×10−9, with work in progress to further improve contrast levels, bandwidth, and instrument throughput. We summarize recent laboratory results and outline future directions. This laboratory experience is used to refine computational models, leading to performance and tolerance predictions for future space mission architectures.

Hybrid Lyot coronagraph for WFIRST-AFTA: coronagraph design and performance metrics

We review the design, performance, and future prospects for the Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph (HLC) on the WFIRSTAFTA telescope. Together with a pair of deformable mirrors for active wavefront control, the HLC creates high contrast dark fields of view at 10-9 contrast levels, extending to within angular separations of 3 λ0/D from the central star, over spectral bandwidths of 10% or more.