MEMS-based extreme adaptive optics for planet detection

Bruce Macintosh; James Graham; Ben Oppenheimer; Lisa Poyneer; Anand Sivaramakrishnan; Jean-Pierre Veran

doi:10.1117/12.657463

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23 January 2006 MEMS-based extreme adaptive optics for planet detection

Bruce Macintosh, James Graham, Ben Oppenheimer, Lisa Poyneer, Anand Sivaramakrishnan, Jean-Pierre Veran

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Proceedings Volume 6113, MEMS/MOEMS Components and Their Applications III; 611308 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.657463
Event: MOEMS-MEMS 2006 Micro and Nanofabrication, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The next major step in the study of extrasolar planets will be the direct detection, resolved from their parent star, of a significant sample of Jupiter-like extrasolar giant planets. Such detection will open up new parts of the extrasolar planet distribution and allow spectroscopic characterization of the planets themselves. Detecting Jovian planets at 5-50 AU scale orbiting nearby stars requires adaptive optics systems and coronagraphs an order of magnitude more powerful than those available today - the realm of "Extreme" adaptive optics. We present the basic requirements and design for such a system, the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI.) GPI will require a MEMS-based deformable mirror with good surface quality, 2-4 micron stroke (operated in tandem with a conventional low-order "woofer" mirror), and a fully-functional 48-actuator-diameter aperture.

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Bruce Macintosh, James Graham, Ben Oppenheimer, Lisa Poyneer, Anand Sivaramakrishnan, and Jean-Pierre Veran "MEMS-based extreme adaptive optics for planet detection", Proc. SPIE 6113, MEMS/MOEMS Components and Their Applications III, 611308 (23 January 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.657463

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