Notch Filter Masks: Practical Image Masks for Planet-Finding Coronagraphs
نویسندگان
چکیده
An ideal coronagraph with a band-limited image mask can efficiently image off-axis sources while removing identically all of the light from an on-axis source. However, strict mask construction tolerances limit the utility of this technique for directly imaging extrasolar terrestrial planets. We present a variation on the basic band-limited mask design—a family of “notch filter” masks—that mitigates this problem. These robust and trivially achromatic masks can be easily manufactured by cutting holes in opaque material. Subject headings: astrobiology — circumstellar matter — instrumentation: adaptive optics — planetary systems
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