SPHERE-IFS: The spectro differential imager of the VLT for exoplanet search .
Abstract
The SPHERE is an exo-solar planet imager, which goal is to detect giant exo-solar planets in the vicinity of bright stars and to characterize them through spectroscopic and polarimetric observations. It is an complete system with a core made of an extreme-Adaptive Optics (AO) turbulence correction, pupil tracker and interferential coronagraphs. At its back end, a differential dual imaging camera and an integral field spectrograph (IFS) work in the Near Infrared (NIR) Y, J, H and Ks bands (0.95 - 2.32microns) and a high resolution polarization camera covers the visible (0.6 - 0.9microns).
The IFS is a low resolution spectrograph (R 50) which works in the near IR (0.95 - 1.6microns), an ideal wavelength range for the detection of planetary features. In our baseline design the IFU is a new philosophy micro-lens array of about 145x145 elements designed to reduce as low as possible the contrast. The IFU will cover a field of view of about 1.7 x 1.7 square arcsecs reaching a contrast of 10-7, giving an high contrast and high spatial resolution ``imager'' able to search for planet well inside the star PSF. Currently in the first phase of integration IFS will see the first light at ESO Paranal, as VLT II generations instruments, in the Q3 2011.- Publication:
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Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana Supplementi
- Pub Date:
- 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012MSAIS..19..376D