Post-coronagraphic tip-tilt sensing for vortex phase masks: the QACITS technique

Small inner working angle coronagraphs, like the vortex phase mask, are essential to exploit the full potential of ground-based telescopes in the context of exoplanet detection and characterization. However, the drawback of this attractive feature is a high sensitivity to pointing errors, which degrades the performance of the coronagraph. We propose a tip-tilt retrieval technique based on the analysis of the final coronagraphic image, hereafter called Quadrant Analysis of Coronagraphic Images for Tip-tilt Sensing (QACITS). Under the assumption of small phase aberrations, we show that the behaviour of the vortex phase mask can be simply described from the entrance pupil to the Lyot stop plane by Zernike polynomials. This convenient formalism is used to establish the theoretical basis of the QACITS technique. Simulations have been performed to demonstrate the validity and limits of the technique, including the case of a centrally obstructed pupil. The QACITS technique principle is further validated by experimental results in the case of an unobstructed circular aperture. The typical configuration of the Keck telescope (24% central obstruction) has been simulated with additional high order aberrations. In these conditions, our simulations show that the QACITS technique is still adapted to centrally obstructed pupils and performs tip-tilt retrieval with a precision of $5 \times 10^{-2}$ {\lambda}/D when wavefront errors amount to {\lambda}/14 rms and $10^{-2}$ {\lambda}/D for {\lambda}/70 rms errors (with {\lambda} the wavelength and D the pupil diameter). The implementation of the QACITS technique is based on the analysis of the scientific image and does not require any modification of the original setup. Current facilities equipped with a vortex phase mask can thus directly benefit from this technique to improve the contrast performance close to the axis.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in A&

High-contrast imaging in polychromatic light with the self-coherent camera

Context. In the context of direct imaging of exoplanets, coronagraphs are commonly proposed to reach the required very high contrast levels. However, wavefront aberrations induce speckles in their focal plane and limit their performance. Aims. An active correction of these wavefront aberrations using a deformable mirror upstream of the coronagraph is mandatory. These aberrations need to be calibrated and focal-plane wavefront-sensing techniques in the science channel are being developed. One of these, the self-coherent camera, of which we present the latest laboratory results. Methods. We present here an enhancement of the method: we directly minimized the complex amplitude of the speckle field in the focal plane. Laboratory tests using a four-quadrant phase-mask coronagraph and a 32x32 actuator deformable mirror were conducted in monochromatic light and in polychromatic light for different bandwidths. Results. We obtain contrast levels in the focal plane in monochromatic light better than 3.10^-8 (RMS) in the 5 - 12 {\lambda}/D region for a correction of both phase and amplitude aberrations. In narrow bands (10 nm) the contrast level is 4.10^-8 (RMS) in the same region. Conclusions. The contrast level is currently limited by the amplitude aberrations on the bench. We identified several improvements that can be implemented to enhance the performance of our optical bench in monochromatic as well as in polychromatic light.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted in Astronomy & Astrophysics (02/2014

Self-coherent camera as a focal plane wavefront sensor: simulations

Direct detection of exoplanets requires high dynamic range imaging. Coronagraphs could be the solution, but their performance in space is limited by wavefront errors (manufacturing errors on optics, temperature variations, etc.), which create quasi-static stellar speckles in the final image. Several solutions have been suggested for tackling this speckle noise. Differential imaging techniques substract a reference image to the coronagraphic residue in a post-processing imaging. Other techniques attempt to actively correct wavefront errors using a deformable mirror. In that case, wavefront aberrations have to be measured in the science image to extremely high accuracy. We propose the self-coherent camera sequentially used as a focal-plane wavefront sensor for active correction and differential imaging. For both uses, stellar speckles are spatially encoded in the science image so that differential aberrations are strongly minimized. The encoding is based on the principle of light incoherence between the hosting star and its environment. In this paper, we first discuss one intrinsic limitation of deformable mirrors. Then, several parameters of the self-coherent camera are studied in detail. We also propose an easy and robust design to associate the self-coherent camera with a coronagraph that uses a Lyot stop. Finally, we discuss the case of the association with a four-quadrant phase mask and numerically demonstrate that such a device enables the detection of Earth-like planets under realistic conditions. The parametric study of the technique lets us believe it can be implemented quite easily in future instruments dedicated to direct imaging of exoplanets.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, accepted in A&A (here is the final version

Lyot-based Ultra-Fine Pointing Control System for Phase Mask Coronagraphs

High performance coronagraphic imaging at small inner working angle requires efficient control of low order aberrations. The absence of accurate pointing control at small separation not only degrades coronagraph starlight rejection but also increases the risk of confusing planet's photons with starlight leaking next to the coronagraph focal plane mask center. Addressing this issue is essential for preventing coronagraphic leaks, and we have thus developed a new concept, the Lyot-based pointing control system (LPCS), to control pointing errors and other low order aberrations within a coronagraph. The LPCS uses residual starlight reflected by the Lyot stop at the pupil plane. Our simulation has demonstrated pointing errors measurement accuracy between 2-12 nm for tip-tilt at 1.6 micron with a four quadrant phase mask coronagraph.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, Proceedings of AO4ELTs3 conference, Paper 12667, Florence, Italy, May 201

Expected Performance of a Self-Coherent Camera

Residual wavefront errors in optical elements limit the performance of coronagraphs. To improve their efficiency, different types of devices have been proposed to correct or calibrate these errors. In this paper, we study one of these techniques proposed by Baudoz et al. 2006 and called Self-Coherent Camera (SCC). The principle of this instrument is based on the lack of coherence between the stellar light and the planet that is searched for. After recalling the principle of the SCC, we simulate its performance under realistic conditions and compare it with the performance of differential imaging.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Lyot-based Low Order Wavefront Sensor for Phase-mask Coronagraphs: Principle, Simulations and Laboratory Experiments

High performance coronagraphic imaging of faint structures around bright stars at small angular separations requires fine control of tip, tilt and other low order aberrations. When such errors occur upstream of a coronagraph, they results in starlight leakage which reduces the dynamic range of the instrument. This issue has been previously addressed for occulting coronagraphs by sensing the starlight before or at the coronagraphic focal plane. One such solution, the coronagraphic low order wave-front sensor (CLOWFS) uses a partially reflective focal plane mask to measure pointing errors for Lyot-type coronagraphs. To deal with pointing errors in low inner working angle phase mask coronagraphs which do not have a reflective focal plane mask, we have adapted the CLOWFS technique. This new concept relies on starlight diffracted by the focal plane phase mask being reflected by the Lyot stop towards a sensor which reliably measures low order aberrations such as tip and tilt. This reflective Lyot-based wavefront sensor is a linear reconstructor which provides high sensitivity tip-tilt error measurements with phase mask coronagraphs. Simulations show that the measurement accuracy of pointing errors with realistic post adaptive optics residuals are approx. 10^-2 lambda/D per mode at lambda = 1.6 micron for a four quadrant phase mask. In addition, we demonstrate the open loop measurement pointing accuracy of 10^-2 lambda/D at 638 nm for a four quadrant phase mask in the laboratory.Comment: 9 Pages, 11 Figures, to be published in PASP June 2014 issu

Lyot-based Low Order Wavefront Sensor: Implementation on the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics System and its Laboratory Performance

High throughput, low inner working angle (IWA) phase masks coronagraphs are essential to directly image and characterize (via spectroscopy) earth-like planets. However, the performance of low-IWA coronagraphs is limited by residual pointing errors and other low-order modes. The extent to which wavefront aberrations upstream of the coronagraph are corrected and calibrated drives coronagraphic performance. Addressing this issue is essential for preventing coronagraphic leaks, thus we have developed a Lyot-based low order wave front sensor (LLOWFS) to control the wavefront aberrations in a coronagraph. The LLOWFS monitors the starlight rejected by the coronagraphic mask using a reflective Lyot stop in the downstream pupil plane. The early implementation of LLOWFS at LESIA, Observatoire de Paris demonstrated an open loop measurement accuracy of 0.01 lambda/D for tip-tilt at 638 nm when used in conjunction with a four quadrant phase mask (FQPM) in the laboratory. To further demonstrate our concept, we have installed the reflective Lyot stops on the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme AO (SCExAO) system at the Subaru Telescope and modified the system to support small IWA phase mask coronagraphs (< 1 lambda/D) on-sky such as FQPM, eight octant phase mask, vector vortex coronagraph and the phase induced amplitude apodization complex phase mask coronagraph with a goal of obtaining milli arc-second pointing accuracy. Laboratory results have shown the measurement of tip, tilt, focus, oblique and right astigmatism at 1.55 um for the vector vortex coronagraph. Our initial on-sky result demonstrate the closed loop accuracy of < 7 x 10-3 lambda/D at 1.6 um for tip, tilt and focus aberrations with the vector vortex coronagraph.Comment: 9 pages, 9 Figures, Proc. of SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 201

On-sky demonstration of low-order wavefront sensing and control with focal plane phase mask coronagraphs

The ability to characterize exoplanets by spectroscopy of their atmospheres requires direct imaging techniques to isolate planet signal from the bright stellar glare. One of the limitations with the direct detection of exoplanets, either with ground- or space-based coronagraphs, is pointing errors and other low-order wavefront aberrations. The coronagraphic detection sensitivity at the diffraction limit therefore depends on how well low-order aberrations upstream of the focal plane mask are corrected. To prevent starlight leakage at the inner working angle of a phase mask coronagraph, we have introduced a Lyot-based low-order wavefront sensor (LLOWFS), which senses aberrations using the rejected starlight diffracted at the Lyot plane. In this paper, we present the implementation, testing and results of LLOWFS on the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics system (SCExAO) at the Subaru Telescope. We have controlled thirty-five Zernike modes of a H-band vector vortex coronagraph in the laboratory and ten Zernike modes on sky with an integrator control law. We demonstrated a closed-loop pointing residual of 0.02 mas in the laboratory and 0.15 mas on sky for data sampled using the minimal 2-second exposure time of the science camera. We have also integrated the LLOWFS in the visible high-order control loop of SCExAO, which in closed-loop operation has validated the correction of the non-common path pointing errors between the infrared science channel and the visible wavefront sensing channel with pointing residual of 0.23 mas on sky.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, Accepted and scheduled for publication in September 2015 issue of the PAS