Polarization interferometric nulling coronagraph for high-contrast imaging

We propose a novel, high-contrast imager called a polarization interferometric nulling coronagraph (PINC) for direct detection of extrasolar planets. The PINC uses achromatic half-wave plates (HWPs) installed in a fully symmetric beam combiner based on polarizing beam splitters. Jones calculus sugge...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inApplied optics. Optical technology and biomedical optics Vol. 49; no. 16; p. D106
Main Authors Murakami, Naoshi, Yokochi, Kaito, Nishikawa, Jun, Tamura, Motohide, Kurokawa, Takashi, Takeda, Mitsuo, Baba, Naoshi
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.06.2010
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:We propose a novel, high-contrast imager called a polarization interferometric nulling coronagraph (PINC) for direct detection of extrasolar planets. The PINC uses achromatic half-wave plates (HWPs) installed in a fully symmetric beam combiner based on polarizing beam splitters. Jones calculus suggests that a stellar halo suppression level of 10(-10) can be achieved at 5 lambda/D for a broad wavelength range from 1.6 to 2.2 microm by using Fresnel-rhomb HWPs made of BK7. Laboratory experiments on the PINC used two laser light sources (wavelengths of lambda=532 and 671 nm), and we obtained a halo suppression level of approximately 10(-6) at 5 lambda/D for both wavelengths.
ISSN:2155-3165
DOI:10.1364/ao.49.00d106