Magazine Article

Integrated Optics Achromatic Nuller for Stellar Interferometry

TBMG-12686

01/01/2012

Abstract
Content

This innovation will replace a beam combiner, a phase shifter, and a mode conditioner, thus simplifying the system design and alignment, and saving weight and space in future missions. This nuller is a dielectric-waveguidebased, four-port asymmetric coupler. Its nulling performance is based on the mode-sorting property of adiabatic asymmetric couplers that are intrinsically achromatic. This nuller has been designed, and its performance modeled, in the 6.5-micrometer to 9.25-micrometer spectral interval (36% bandwidth). The calculated suppression of starlight for this 15-cm-long device is 10–5 or better through the whole bandwidth. This is enough to satisfy requirements of a flagship exoplanet-characterization mission.

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Citation
"Integrated Optics Achromatic Nuller for Stellar Interferometry," Mobility Engineering, January 1, 2012.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Jan 1, 2012
Product Code
TBMG-12686
Content Type
Magazine Article
Language
English