Interference-Based Coronagraphy for Speckle Identification

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

Current observations in the context of exoplanet searches with coronagraphic instruments have shown that one of the main limitations to high-contrast imaging is due to residual quasi-static speckles. Speckles look like the image of a planet, therefore threatening the planet detection. But they have a different spectral behavior and are optically coherent with the star. This property lends itself to the use of interference to distinguish light speckles from the image of a planet. We analyze two approaches to address this identification problem. To create this device two techniques are considered. Both techniques use a shaped pupil paired with a focal plane mask (FPM) for the coronagraph. Light that passes by the FPM consists of speckles and planet light. Using the reflection from the metallic surface of the FPM, the starlight is redirected to create a flat "reference field". This reference field is then interfered with the speckle/planet light. Due to the coherence of the speckles with the reference field, as we change the phase of the interfering light we see an intensity change in the speckles. The parts of the image that is changing in intensity are now identified as the speckles and the light that is unchanged from the phase sweep (incoherent light to the starlight) is a planet. This generic technique will work with any type of coronagraph, ground or space-based. However, we illustrate the results with simulations and lab data designed for space-based AO and coronagraphy.

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