Review of high-contrast imaging systems for current and future ground-based and space-based telescopes III. Technology opportunities and pathways
astro-ph.IM
/ Authors
Frans Snik, Olivier Absil, Pierre Baudoz, Mathilde Beaulieu, Eduardo Bendek, Eric Cady, Brunella Carlomagno, Alexis Carlotti, Nick Cvetojevic, David Doelman
and 23 more authors
Kevin Fogarty, Raphaël Galicher, Olivier Guyon, Sebastiaan Haffert, Elsa Huby, Jeffrey Jewell, Nemanja Jovanovic, Christoph Keller, Matthew Kenworthy, Justin Knight, Jonas Kühnn, Johan Mazoyer, Kelsey Miller, Mamadou N'Diaye, Barnaby Norris, Emiel Por, Laurent Pueyo, A J Eldorado Riggs, Garreth Ruane, Dan Sirbu, J. Kent Wallace, Michael Wilby, Marie Ygouf
/ Abstract
The Optimal Optical CoronagraphWorkshop at the Lorentz Center in September 2017 in Leiden, the Netherlands gathered a diverse group of 25 researchers working on exoplanet instrumentation to stimulate the emergence and sharing of new ideas. This contribution is the final part of a series of three papers summarizing the outcomes of the workshop, and presents an overview of novel optical technologies and systems that are implemented or considered for high-contrast imaging instruments on both ground-based and space telescopes. The overall objective of high contrast instruments is to provide direct observations and characterizations of exoplanets at contrast levels as extreme as 10^-10. We list shortcomings of current technologies, and identify opportunities and development paths for new technologies that enable quantum leaps in performance. Specifically, we discuss the design and manufacturing of key components like advanced deformable mirrors and coronagraphic optics, and their amalgamation in "adaptive coronagraph" systems. Moreover, we discuss highly integrated system designs that combine contrast-enhancing techniques and characterization techniques (like high-resolution spectroscopy) while minimizing the overall complexity. Finally, we explore extreme implementations using all-photonics solutions for ground-based telescopes and dedicated huge apertures for space telescopes.