[en] SPHERE (which stands for Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet
REsearch) is a second-generation Very Large Telescope (VLT) instrument
dedicated to high-contrast direct imaging of exoplanets whose firstlight
is scheduled for 2011. Within this complex instrument one of the central
components is the apodized Lyot coronagraph (ALC). The principal aim of
this paper is to report the first laboratory experiment of the ALC designed
for the SPHERE instrument. The performance and sensitivity of the optical
configuration was first numerically studied with an end-to-end approach (see
the results in paper I subtitled “Detailed numerical study”). Made confident
by the results, we then tested a prototype on an infrared coronagraphic bench.
We measured the transmission profiles of the apodizer prototype and the
coronagraphic performance of the apodized Lyot coronagraph in Y, J, and H
bands. The coronagraph sensitivity to lateral and longitudinal misalignments
of its three main components (apodizer, coronagraphic mask and Lyot stop)
was finally studied in H band. We can conclude that the prototype meets the
SPHERE technical requirements for coronagraphy.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Guerri, Géraldine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Daban, Jean-Baptiste; Université de Nice > Laboratoire H. Fizeau
Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie; Université de Nice > Laboratoire H. Fizeau
Douet, Richard; Université de Nice > Laboratoire H. Fizeau
Abe, Lyu; Université de Nice > Laboratoire H. Fizeau
Baudrand, Jacques; Observatoire de Paris > LESIA
Carbillet, Marcel; Université de Nice > Laboratoire H. Fizeau
Boccaletti, Anthony; Observatoire de Paris > LESIA
Bendjoya, Philippe; Université de Nice > Laboratoire H. Fizeau
Gouvret, Carole; Université de Nice > Laboratoire H. Fizeau
Vakili, Farrokh; Université de Nice > Laboratoire H. Fizeau
Language :
English
Title :
Apodized Lyot coronagraph for SPHERE/VLT: II. Laboratory tests and performance
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