Lyu Abe

Design, specification, and manufacturing of a PIAACMC for the SPEED testbed

The Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization Complex Mask Coronagraph (PIAACMC) is a promising corona- graphic device for direct detection of exoplanets with complex segmented telescope apertures. This concept features the bright idea of generating a pupil apodization by reflection on two mirrors whose wavefront maps are specifically optimized, and a complex focal plane mask. In this paper, we report on the design, specifications, and manufacturing of such a coronagraph for the SPEED facility (Segmented Pupil Experiment for Exoplanet Detection) struggled for deep contrast at small angular separation with complex telescope aperture.

The segmented pupil experiment for exoplanet detection: Part 3. Advances and first light with segments cophasing

SPEED (Segmented Pupil Experiment for Exoplanet Detection) is an instrumental testbed designed to offer an ideal cocoon to provide relevant solutions in both cophasing and high-contrast imaging with segmented telescopes. The next generation of observatories will be made of a primary mirror with excessive complexity (mirror segmentation, central obscuration, and spider vanes) undoubtedly known to be unfavorable for the direct detection of exoplanets. Exoplanets detection around late-type stars (M-dwarfs) constitutes an outstanding reservoir of candidates, and SPEED integrates all the recipes to pave the road for this science case (cophasing sensors, multi-DM wavefront control and shaping architecture as well as advanced coronagraphy). In this paper, we provide a progress overview of the project and report on the first light with segments cophasing control and monitoring from a coronagraphic image.

An end-to-end Fresnel propagation model for SPEED: PIAACMC implementation and performance

Future extremely large telescopes, equipped with high-contrast instruments targeting very small Inner Working Angle, will provide the requisite resolution for detecting exoplanets in the habitable zone around M-stars. However, the ELT segmented pupil shape is unfavourable to high-contrast imaging. In this context, the SPEED project aims to develop and test solutions for high contrast with unfriendly apertures. SPEED will combine a PIAACMC coronagraph and two deformable mirrors for the wavefront shaping. In this paper, we describe an end-to-end model of SPEED, including the Fresnel wavefront propagation, the PIAACMC implementation and the dark hole algorithm, and present a statistical analysis of the predicted performance.