Silvio P. Mazzanti

On-sky multiwavelength phasing of segmented telescopes with the Zernike phase contrast sensor

Future extremely large telescopes will adopt segmented primary mirrors with several hundreds of segments. Cophasing of the segments together is essential to reach high wavefront quality. The phasing sensor must be able to maintain very high phasing accuracy during the observations, while being able to phase segments dephased by several micrometers. The Zernike phase contrast sensor has been demonstrated on-sky at the Very Large Telescope. We present the multiwavelength scheme that has been implemented to extend the capture range from ±λ/2 on the wavefront to many micrometers, demonstrating that it is successful at phasing mirrors with piston errors up to ±4.0  μm on the wavefront. We discuss the results at different levels and conclude with a phasing strategy for a future extremely large telescope.

ZEUS, a cophasing sensor based on the Zernike phase contrast method

We describe the ZEUS phasing camera for future extremely large telescopes (ELTs) based on the Zernike phase contrast method. A prototype instrument is under construction for implementation in the Active Phasing Experiment (APE), a VLT test bed scheduled for operation in 2007. The paper describes theoretical aspects of the method and its experimental validation, as well as the instrumental implementation for APE. Aspects of its implementation in an ELT are also discussed. While the classical Zernike method uses a phase mask with diameter approximately equal to the Airy disk, we employ a mask the size of the seeing disk. This allows us to overcome the problems related to atmospheric turbulence, whose low spatial frequency phase errors are much larger than the co-phasing errors to be measured. The thickness (OPD) of the mask can be set to lambda/4 - as in the classical case - for maximum signal strength, but for initial phasing where phase errors are much larger than the sensors linear range (+/-lambda/4), a thinner mask produces a cleaner signal more easily exploitable, leaving the signal analysis more robust. A multi wavelength approach is implemented in order to extend the capture range of the sensor, and the ultimate precision is reached using an iterative approach. End-to-end simulations indicating an achievable precision within the required precision will be shown.

Variable curvature mirrors: implementation in the VLTI delay-lines for field compensation

As the result of an analysis pursued from the very beginning, today the VLT Interferometer is the only interferometer allowing to have a 2 arcsec interferometric field of view (f.o.v) available at the instruments entrance. This accessible interferometric field is the direct result of a careful pupil transfer from the individual telescopes to the central laboratory, unique feature of the VLTI. For this goal it has been necessary to develop a new optical device, the Variable Curvature Mirror (VCM.), using large deformation theory of elasticity, and advanced techniques in optical fabrication. The possibility with the VLTI to use various baselines, from 8 to 200 m with UTs or ATs, leads to severe conditions on the VCM curvature range. A given delay-line, and its associated VCM, should be able to transfer a pupil to the interferometric laboratory from a very far or relatively close position of an ATs. Considering the f.o.v required in the VLTI (2 arcsec), the delay-lines strokes or the OPD to compensate for, and the various locations of the UTs and ATs stations, the curvature of the VCM has to be continuously variable within a range from 84 mm-1 to 2800 mm-1. The location of the VCM in the delay-line system, on the piezo-translator used for small OPD compensation, led to minimize its dimensions and to realize a small active mirror with a 16mm diameter. With this small optical aperture, the VCM range of curvature corresponds to a f ratio from f/∞ to f/2.625. The two first VCM complete systems (mirror, mechanics and control command software) have been achieved in 2001/2002 and will be installed in the VLTI delay-lines during fall 2002. Their final performances (optical quality, pupil transfer accuracy, etc.) are reviewed.

Manufacturing and integration of the IRDIS dual imaging camera and spectrograph for SPHERE

SPHERE is a planet hunting instrument for the VLT 8m telescope in Chile whose prime objective is the discovery and characterization of young Jupiter-sized planets outside of the solar system. It is a complex instrument, consisting of an extreme Adaptive Optics System (SAXO), various coronagraphs, an infrared differential imaging camera (IRDIS), an infrared integral field spectrograph (IFS) and a visible differential polarimeter (ZIMPOL). The performance of the IRDIS camera is directly related to various wavefront error budgets of the instrument, in particular the differential aberrations occurring after separation of the two image beams. We report on the ongoing integration and testing activities in terms of optical, mechanical, and cryo-vacuum instrument parts. In particular, we show results of component level tests of the optics and indicate expected overall performance in comparison with design-level budgets. We also describe the plans for instrumental performance and science testing of the instrument, foreseen to be conducted during coming months.

VLTI pupil transfer: variable curvature mirrors: II. Plasticity, hysteresis, and curvature control

Progress in Active Optics Methods have led to the invention of Variable Curvature Mirrors. VCMs are useful to provide optical path compensations of the imaged field of view. Preliminarily developed for Fourier transform IR spectrometers, they are now used for the coherent beam recombination of the VLT array. With the VLT Interferometer, a highly flexible VCM will be installed at the focal surface of each cats eye delay lines. The VCM developments led to the design choice of metal substrates in a quenched state which are at least 15 times more flexible--to external loading--than gloss or vitroceram substrates and thus, have provided accurately the large zoom-range from f/(infinity) to f/2.6. Due to the very large zoom range provided by such active mirrors, it has been found necessary to take under consideration the small plastical deformation as well as the small hysterese loop deformation of the metal substrate. With the four VCMs such as now built for the 8 m telescopes, a plastical deformation model and a hysterese loop model have been determined and are presently described. Including these compensations, the VCM optical figures have been improved and the control software now performs a curvature resolution in between 10-3 and 5 10-4.

VLTI pupil transfer: variable curvature mirrors: I. Final results and performances and interferometric laboratory optical layout

The pupil transfer, from the individual telescopes to the interferometric laboratory, is an unique feature of the VLT Interferometer allowing to have a 2 arcsec interferometric field available at the instruments entrance. This capability is the result of a careful analysis pursued from the very beginning of the VLTI until today in the interferometric laboratory layout. For this goal it has been necessary to develop a new optical device, the Variable Curvature Mirror (VCM), and also to design all the optical systems located after the delay-lines, as the beam compressors for instance, according to these interferometric field-of-view and pupil transfer requirements. This pupil transfer and the role/design of the various optical systems are presented for the major configurations of the VLTI. A special section is dedicated to the VCM system as this component is the most critical one and required special studies, using large deformation theory of elasticity, and advanced techniques in optical fabrication. The final performances of the VCM are reviewed. As these performances had an important influence ont he design of the other systems in the interferometric laboratory, the trade-off between the instruments requirements and the VCM capabilities is presented.

Knife-edge test for characterization of subnanometer deformations in micro-optical surfaces

Development of accurate surface characterization methods is essential for testing micro-optical components, such as micro- opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS), for use in complex optical systems. We consider using an array of 16 micrometer- wide micro-mirrors as programmable slits for astronomical multi-object spectroscopy, and propose a new method based upon Foucaults knife-edge test to characterize local surface deformations of individual micro-mirrors. By measuring local slopes, the surface shape of each mirror in a micro-mirror array has been reconstructed with a sub-nanometer accuracy. In addition to low-order deformation (tilt, curvature, astigmatism), each mirror is seen to be palm-tree shaped. We have checked the validity of our knife-edge test by the micro- characterization of a conventional spherical mirror.

Tulip-form variable-curvature mirrors: interferometry and field compensation

Active Optics methods are now capable to provide variable curvature mirrors (VCMs) having controlled sags in the focal range from f/∞to f/2.5. Those development have been carried out by the authors for the optical path equalizer dedicated to each Mersenne focus of the VLTI. The basic principle is to use VCMs as cats eye mirrors in each delay line in order to achieve field compensations at the recombined Mersenne focii. During the VLTI development phase, cycloid form VCMs controlled by air pressure have been performed with a 10-4 mirror sag resolution. The cycloid form has been selected for the VLTi delay lines. However, other analytical solutions from circular plates elasticity theory have been found. Two thickness distributions lead to tulip form VCMs controlled by a central force. One of them, using a lineic reaction at the edge is the object of this paper. Active optics design, construction features, test and experimental He-Ne interferograms obtained with 16mm boundary aperture and 10mm clear aperture are presented. The mean aspect-ratio of the tulip from VCM is d/t0.5 approximately equals 60, providing a focal zoom range from f/∞ to f/2.5. The experiment is carried out form f/∞ to f/5.

Highly variable curvature mirrors for the Very Large Telescope Interferometer

The design of two holosteric configurations have been optimized for a maximum center/edge deflexure of 400 micrometers . Their thickness distribution is given for active zones of 16 mm in diameter. The curvature action is obtained from an air-pressure chamber that generates onto the rear side of the mirrors (1) a uniform pressure up to 9 Atm or (2) a central force up to 11 daN. The control of the curvature is made by an accurate pressure gauge. Some preliminary results are shown as obtained on metal prototype VCMs from a first fabrication cycle as well as an X-ray device for testing the machining validity of the boundaries at the edge of mirrors.

Development and performance of the EAGLE active optics LGS WFS refocusing system

We designed, developed, and tested a Variable Curvature Mirror (VCM) as an active refocusing system for the Laser Guide Star (LGS) Wave Front Sensor (WFS) of the E-ELT EAGLE instrument [1]. This paper is the second of two from our team on this R&D activity: Hugot et al. this conf. [2] presented the mirror design and performance simulations. Here, we report on the fabrication integration, testing and performance of the VCM system. During this activity, we developed all necessary parts for the VCM system: a metallic mirror, its housing and mounts, a computer-controlled pressure system, an internal metrology, a testbench etc. The functional testing of the VCM system is successful: we can control the internal pressure to less than 1 mBar, and measure the mirror displacement with a 100 nm accuracy. The mirror displacement is a near-linear and well-simulated function of internal pressure for the desired range of focus. The intrinsic optical quality of the mirror meniscus is well within the specifications. Once mounted in its housing, we observe additional mechanical constraints for the current design that generate optical aberrations. We measured the amplitude of the Zernike modes, and we showed that the axisymetric terms display a variation trend very similar to simulations, with amplitude close to simulations. All these results are very promising for a design of focus compensation without any moving part.