Path length control in a nulling coronagraph with a MEMS deformable mirror and a calibration interferometer

Shanti R. Rao; J. Kent Wallace; Rocco Samuele; Supriya Chakrabarti; Timothy Cook; Brian Hicks; Paul Jung; Benjamin Lane; B. Martin Levine; Chris Mendillo; Edouard Schmidtlin; Mike Shao; Jason B. Stewart

doi:10.1117/12.763652

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8 February 2008 Path length control in a nulling coronagraph with a MEMS deformable mirror and a calibration interferometer

Shanti R. Rao; J. Kent Wallace; Rocco Samuele; Supriya Chakrabarti; Timothy Cook; Brian Hicks; Paul Jung; Benjamin Lane; B. Martin Levine; Chris Mendillo; Edouard Schmidtlin; Mike Shao; Jason B. Stewart

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Proceedings Volume 6888, MEMS Adaptive Optics II; 68880B (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.763652
Event: MOEMS-MEMS 2008 Micro and Nanofabrication, 2008, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

We report progress on a nulling coronagraph intended for direct imaging of extrasolar planets. White light is suppressed in an interferometer, and phase errors are measured by a second interferometer. A 1020-pixel MEMS deformable mirror in the first interferometer adjusts the path length across the pupil. A feedback control system reduces deflections of the deformable mirror to order of 1 nm rms.

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Shanti R. Rao, J. Kent Wallace, Rocco Samuele, Supriya Chakrabarti, Timothy Cook, Brian Hicks, Paul Jung, Benjamin Lane, B. Martin Levine, Chris Mendillo, Edouard Schmidtlin, Mike Shao, and Jason B. Stewart "Path length control in a nulling coronagraph with a MEMS deformable mirror and a calibration interferometer", Proc. SPIE 6888, MEMS Adaptive Optics II, 68880B (8 February 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.763652

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