Use of OPD modulation techniques in nulling interferometry

Luigi L. A. d'Arcio; Anders L. Karlsson; Philippe Alain Gondoin

doi:10.1117/12.551519

20 October 2004 Use of OPD modulation techniques in nulling interferometry

Luigi L. A. d'Arcio, Anders L. Karlsson, Philippe Alain Gondoin

Proceedings Volume 5491, New Frontiers in Stellar Interferometry; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.551519
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2004, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract

Future nulling space interferometers, such as Darwin and TPF, under study by the European Space Agency and NASA respectively, will rely on fast internal modulation techniques in order to extract the planet signal from the much larger background noise. In this modulation scheme, the outputs of a number of sub-arrays are combined with a variable, achromatic phase shift. In this paper, we discuss the use of well-known OPD modulation techniques in nulling interferometry. The main attractiveness of this approach is that a small OPD modulation at frequency f will modulate the stellar leakage at frequency 2f, since leakage does not depend from the sign of the OPD. In turn, a planet transiting a quasi-linear portion of the transmission map will induce a signal at frequency f at the nulled output, which can be extracted by coherent detection techniques. The properties of this modulation scheme are analyzed, using the Bracewell configuration as a test case. The significance of this technique for ESA's Darwin mission, and its ground-based technology precursor GENIE, are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Luigi L. A. d'Arcio, Anders L. Karlsson, and Philippe Alain Gondoin "Use of OPD modulation techniques in nulling interferometry", Proc. SPIE 5491, New Frontiers in Stellar Interferometry, (20 October 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.551519

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available