SUPPPPRESS: developing low-leakage liquid-crystal vector vortex coronagraphs for space-based exoplanet imaging

Space Telescopes and Instrumentation: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, pp. 69

Abstract

We report on the ESA-funded SUPPPPRESS project, focused on developing high-performance liquid-crystal coronagraphs for the direct detection and spectral characterization of Earth-like exoplanets. The goal is to improve the contrast and operational spectral bandwidth of the Vector Vortex Coronagraph (VVC). We manufacture regular and multi-grating VVCs (mgVVCs), stacking two or three liquid-crystal masks (LCMs) with vortex and grating patterns to mitigate polarization leakage. This enables full exploitation of the VVC's achromatic and scale-invariant properties. We detail the improved manufacturing of LCMs by ColorLink Japan, Ltd. and their quality assessment using far-field diffraction, polarization microscopy, and zero-order leakage spectroscopy. The individual LCMs are assembled into mgVVCs using a custom jig. We demonstrate their broadband contrast performance on the THD2 testbed, comparing standard VVCs and mgVVCs. Finally, we discuss space environmental qualification of the masks.

Authors 15

1. Rico Landman
   Affiliation as printed

   NOVA (Netherlands)

2. David S. Doelman Aachen SRON Space Research Organization Netherlands

   Space Research Organisation Netherlands

   Affiliation as printed

   SRON Space Research Organization Netherlands (Netherlands)

3. Jeroen Rietjens Aachen SRON Space Research Organization Netherlands

   Space Research Organisation Netherlands

   Affiliation as printed

   SRON Space Research Organization Netherlands (Netherlands)

4. Iva Laginja

   Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique · Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur

   Affiliation as printed

   Lab. d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique (France)

   Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (France)

5. Pierre Baudoz

   Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique

   Affiliation as printed

   Lab. d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique (France)

6. Kristien Peeters Aachen cosine Remote Sensing B.V

   Cosine (Netherlands)

   Affiliation as printed

   cosine Remote Sensing B.V. (Netherlands)

7. Chris van Dijk Aachen cosine Remote Sensing B.V

   Cosine (Netherlands)

   Affiliation as printed

   cosine Remote Sensing B.V. (Netherlands)

8. Yuki Nishie
   Affiliation as printed

   ColorLink Japan, Ltd. (Japan)

9. Yuta Watanabe
   Affiliation as printed

   ColorLink Japan, Ltd. (Japan)

10. Joost van den Born
    Affiliation as printed

    NOVA (Netherlands)

11. Alexander B. C. Eigenraam Aachen SRON Space Research Organization Netherlands

    Space Research Organisation Netherlands

    Affiliation as printed

    SRON Space Research Organization Netherlands (Netherlands)

12. Mario Vretenar Aachen SRON Space Research Organization Netherlands

    Space Research Organisation Netherlands

    Affiliation as printed

    SRON Space Research Organization Netherlands (Netherlands)

13. Mariya Krasteva

    Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille

    Affiliation as printed

    Lab. d'Astrophysique de Marseille (France)

14. Matteo Taccola

    European Space Agency

    Affiliation as printed

    European Space Agency (Netherlands)

15. Frans Snik
    Affiliation as printed

    NOVA (Netherlands)