Notch Filter Masks: Practical Image Masks for Planet-Finding Coronagraphs

Abstract

An ideal coronagraph with a band-limited image mask can efficiently image off-axis sources while removing identically all of the light from an on-axis source. However, strict mask construction tolerances limit the utility of this technique for directly imaging extrasolar terrestrial planets. We present a variation on the basic band-limited mask design--a family of ``notch filter'' masks--that mitigates this problem. These robust and trivially achromatic masks can be easily manufactured by cutting holes in opaque material.

27 pages, including 8 figures, to appear in ApJ

References in corpus (2)

• Imaging Spectroscopy for Extrasolar Planet Detection
• Notch Filter Masks: Practical Image Masks for Planet-Finding Coronagraphs

Cited by in corpus (14)

• Limits of Adaptive Optics for high contrast imaging
• Volatile-Rich Earth-Mass Planets in the Habitable Zone
• Speckle noise and dynamic range in coronagraphic images
• Eighth-Order Image Masks for Terrestrial Planet Finding
• Comparative Lyot Coronagraphy with Extreme AO Systems
• Notch Filter Masks: Practical Image Masks for Planet-Finding Coronagraphs
• Detection of Close-In Extrasolar Giant Planets Using the Fourier-Kelvin Stellar Interferometer
• On-Sky Demonstration of a Linear Band-limited Mask with Application to Visual Binary Stars
• Using Notch-Filter Masks for High Contrast Imaging of Extrasolar Planets
• A dual-mask coronagraph for observing faint companions to binary stars
• Band-Limited Coronagraphs using a Halftone-dot process: design guidelines, manufacturing, and laboratory results
• Laboratory Testing of a Lyot Coronagraph Equipped with an Eighth-Order Notch Filter Image Mask
• High Contrast Imaging with Gaussian Aperture Pupil Masks (GAPMs)
• Fourth-order Coronagraph for High-Contrast Imaging of Exoplanets with Off-axis Segmented Telescopes