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B. E. Woodgate, C. W. Bowers (NASA GSFC)
Detection of earth-like planets around other stars using coronagraphy requires the optical beam into the coronagraph to be extremely uniform in both phase and amplitude. Errors in phase can be corrected using a deformable mirror, and errors in amplitude can be corrected using a spatial light modulator, both in the pupil plane. These corrections can be combined using a Michelson interferometer. If amplitude corrections of only a few percent range are needed, the required accuracy of 10-4 can be obtained with spatial light modulators with the modest dynamic range of 8 bits.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35 #3
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.