The space coronagraph optical bench (SCoOB): 2. Wavefront sensing and control in a vacuum-compatible coronagraph testbed for spaceborne high-contrast imaging technology
Abstract
The 2020 Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics endorsed space-based high contrast imaging for the detection and characterization of habitable exoplanets as a key priority for the upcoming decade. To advance the maturity of starlight suppression techniques in a space-like environment, we are developing the Space Coronagraph Optical Bench (SCoOB) at the University of Arizona, a new thermal vacuum (TVAC) testbed based on the Coronagraphic Debris Exoplanet Exploring Payload (CDEEP), a SmallSat mission concept for high contrast imaging of circumstellar disks in scattered light. When completed, the testbed will combine a vector vortex coronagraph (VVC) with a Kilo-C microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) deformable mirror from Boston Micromachines Corp (BMC) and a self-coherent camera (SCC) with a goal of raw contrast surpassing 10−8 at visible wavelengths. In this proceedings, we report on our wavefront sensing and control efforts on this testbed in air, including the as-built performance of the optical system and the implementation of algorithms for focalplane wavefront control and digging dark holes (regions of high contrast in the focal plane) using electric field conjugation (EFC) and related algorithms.
- Publication:
-
Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
- Pub Date:
- August 2022
- DOI:
- 10.1117/12.2630704
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2208.01155
- Bibcode:
- 2022SPIE12180E..5MV
- Keywords:
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- Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 5 figures, SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022