论文标题
NASA高对比度成像试验设施的宽带矢量涡流冠状测试
Broadband Vector Vortex Coronagraph Testing at NASA's High Contrast Imaging Testbed Facility
论文作者
论文摘要
理想矢量涡流的无与伦比的理论性能无与伦比，使其成为直接成像具有未来，离轴空间望远镜的外部球星的最有前途的技术之一。但是，观察从地球大小的行星（$ \ sim10^{ - 10} $）反射的光所需的图像对比度尚未在实验室环境中进行演示。随着液晶矢量涡流波和测试床上系统级的性能的最新进展，我们的原始对比度为1.6 $ \ times10^{ - 9} $和5.9 $ \ times10^$ \ times10^{ - 9} $在10％和20％的光学带中，分别超过3-1 $ $ 10 $ 10伪明星。前者比先前报道的性能提高了10倍。我们显示了根据光谱带宽的函数实现的对比度的实验比较。我们提供限制错误项的估计值，并讨论缩小将来系外行星成像空间望远镜所需的对比度性能所需的差距所需的改进。
The unparalleled theoretical performance of an ideal vector vortex coronagraph makes it one of the most promising technologies for directly imaging exoplanets with a future, off-axis space telescope. However, the image contrast required for observing the light reflected from Earth-sized planets ($\sim10^{-10}$) has yet to be demonstrated in a laboratory setting. With recent advances in the manufacturing of liquid crystal vector vortex waveplates as well as system-level performance improvements on our testbeds, we have achieved raw contrast of 1.6$\times10^{-9}$ and 5.9$\times10^{-9}$ in 10% and 20% optical bandwidths, respectively, averaged over 3-10$λ/D$ separations on one side of the pseudo-star. The former represents a factor of 10 improvement over the previously reported performance. We show experimental comparisons of the contrast achieved as a function of spectral bandwidth. We provide estimates of the limiting error terms and discuss the improvements needed to close the gap in contrast performance required for future exoplanet imaging space telescopes.
