Review of high-contrast imaging systems for current and future ground-based and space-based telescopes III. Technology opportunities and pathways

Abstract

The Optimal Optical CoronagraphWorkshop at the Lorentz Center in September 2017 in Leiden, the Netherlands gathered a diverse group of 25 researchers working on exoplanet instrumentation to stimulate the emergence and sharing of new ideas. This contribution is the final part of a series of three papers summarizing the outcomes of the workshop, and presents an overview of novel optical technologies and systems that are implemented or considered for high-contrast imaging instruments on both ground-based and space telescopes. The overall objective of high contrast instruments is to provide direct observations and characterizations of exoplanets at contrast levels as extreme as 10^-10. We list shortcomings of current technologies, and identify opportunities and development paths for new technologies that enable quantum leaps in performance. Specifically, we discuss the design and manufacturing of key components like advanced deformable mirrors and coronagraphic optics, and their amalgamation in "adaptive coronagraph" systems. Moreover, we discuss highly integrated system designs that combine contrast-enhancing techniques and characterization techniques (like high-resolution spectroscopy) while minimizing the overall complexity. Finally, we explore extreme implementations using all-photonics solutions for ground-based telescopes and dedicated huge apertures for space telescopes.

References in corpus (16)

• Detection of Carbon Monoxide and Water Absorption Lines in an Exoplanet Atmosphere
• Theoretical Limits on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planet Detection with Coronagraphs
• Combining high-dispersion spectroscopy (HDS) with high contrast imaging (HCI): Probing rocky planets around our nearest neighbors
• Optical Vectorial Vortex Coronagraphs using Liquid Crystal Polymers: theory, manufacturing and laboratory demonstration
• Review of small-angle coronagraphic techniques in the wake of ground-based second-generation adaptive optics systems
• Observing Exoplanets with High-Dispersion Coronagraphy. II. Demonstration of an Active Single-Mode Fiber Injection Unit
• The Vector-APP: a Broadband Apodizing Phase Plate that yields Complementary PSFs
• Performance characterization of a broadband vector Apodizing Phase Plate coronagraph
• The coronagraphic Modal Wavefront Sensor: a hybrid focal-plane sensor for the high-contrast imaging of circumstellar environments
• Demonstration of an efficient, photonic-based astronomical spectrograph on an 8-m telescope
• Active correction of aperture discontinuities - optimized stroke minimization II: optimization for future missions
• Optimizing the subwavelength grating of L-band Annular Groove Phase Masks for high coronagraphic performance
• Overview of the SAPHIRA Detector for AO Applications
• Patterned liquid-crystal optics for broadband coronagraphy and wavefront sensing
• Astronomical photonics in the context of infrared interferometry and high-resolution spectroscopy
• Multiplexed Single-Mode Wavelength-to-Time Mapping of Multimode Light