TPF-C Technology Plan - Exoplanet Exploration Program - NASA
TPF-C Technology Plan - Exoplanet Exploration Program - NASA
TPF-C Technology Plan - Exoplanet Exploration Program - NASA
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Chapter 6<br />
Figure 6-1. Detailed concept for the Visible Nulling Testbed.<br />
Progress to Date<br />
The components of the nulling coronagraph currently under development are the nulling<br />
interferometer including the phase plates and the laser metrology system, the single mode fiber<br />
array, and the deformable mirror, shown in Figure 6-1. These will all be integrated in the Visible<br />
Nulling Testbed in order to demonstrate the full 10 -10 contrast required for <strong>TPF</strong>-C.<br />
6.2.1.1 Visible Nulling Interferometer<br />
The nulling interferometer has achieved nulls of 5 × 10 -6 in polarized laser light (equivalent to 5<br />
× 10 -9 assuming a 1000 sub-aperture SMFA) and 10 -4 in unpolarized broadband light with a 10%<br />
band pass as seen in Figure 6-2. 43 Improved broadband light results are expected with recently<br />
upgraded optics and inside a vacuum chamber.<br />
43 Wallace, .K. (2004), “Experimental Results from a Visible Nulling Interferometer,” Proc IEEE Big Sky<br />
Conference.<br />
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