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An off-axis four-quadrant phase-mask coronagraph: concept and first results

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2006

E. Serabyn ,
E. E. Bloemhof ,
R. O. Gappinger ,
P. Haguenauer ,
B. Mennesson ,
M. Troy  and
J. K. Wallace
E. Serabyn
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,Pasadena, CA 91109, USA email: gene.serabyn@jpl.nasa.gov
E. E. Bloemhof
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,Pasadena, CA 91109, USA email: gene.serabyn@jpl.nasa.gov
R. O. Gappinger
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,Pasadena, CA 91109, USA email: gene.serabyn@jpl.nasa.gov
P. Haguenauer
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,Pasadena, CA 91109, USA email: gene.serabyn@jpl.nasa.gov
B. Mennesson
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,Pasadena, CA 91109, USA email: gene.serabyn@jpl.nasa.gov
M. Troy
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,Pasadena, CA 91109, USA email: gene.serabyn@jpl.nasa.gov
J. K. Wallace
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,Pasadena, CA 91109, USA email: gene.serabyn@jpl.nasa.gov
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Abstract

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We have recently deployed a four-quadrant phase-mask coronagraph behind an unobscured, circular, off-axis section of the Palomar 200-inch telescope. To obtain very good wavefront correction across the 1.5 m subaperture, our relay optics reimage the sub-aperture onto the adaptive optics system's deformable mirror. This approach combines the advantages of low diffraction from obscuring elements, due to the off-axis aperture, with high wavefront correction, due to the magnification of the pupil, and high stellar rejection, due to the phase mask coronagraph. Our initial on-sky results include Strehl ratios exceeding 90%, peak stellar rejections of >100:1, and an improvement in contrast of 235:1 on a binary of separation $2 \lambda /D$.

Keywords

coronagraphy
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 1 , Colloquium C200: Direct Imaging of Exoplanets: Science & Techniques , October 2005 , pp. 477 - 480
Copyright
© 2006 International Astronomical Union