To maintain the required performance of WFIRST Coronagraph in a realistic space environment, a Low Order Wavefront Sensing and Control (LOWFS/C) subsystem is necessary. The LOWFS/C uses a Zernike wavefront sensor (ZWFS) with the phase shifting disk combined with the starlight rejecting occulting mask. For wavefront error corrections, WFIRST LOWFS/C uses a fast steering mirror (FSM) for line-of-sight (LoS) correction, a focusing mirror for focus drift correction, and one of the two deformable mirrors (DM) for other low order wavefront error (WFE) correction. As a part of technology development and demonstration for WFIRST Coronagraph, a dedicated Occulting Mask Coronagraph (OMC) testbed has been built and commissioned. With its configuration similar to the WFIRST flight coronagraph instrument the OMC testbed consists of two coronagraph modes, Shaped Pupil Coronagraph (SPC) and Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph (HLC), a low order wavefront sensor (LOWFS), and an optical telescope assembly (OTA) simulator which can generate realistic LoS drift and jitter as well as low order wavefront error that would be induced by the WFIRST telescope’s vibration and thermal changes. In this paper, we will introduce the concept of WFIRST LOWFS/C, describe the OMC testbed, and present the testbed results of LOWFS sensor performance. We will also present our recent results from the dynamic coronagraph tests in which we have demonstrated of using LOWFS/C to maintain the coronagraph contrast with the presence of WFIRST-like line-of-sight and low order wavefront disturbances.
The coronagraph instrument on the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope-Astrophysics-Focused Telescope Asset (WFIRST-AFTA) mission study has two coronagraphic architectures, shaped pupil and hybrid Lyot, which may be interchanged for use in different observing scenarios. Each architecture relies on newly developed mask components to function in the presence of the AFTA aperture, and so both must be matured to a high technology readiness level in advance of the mission. A series of milestones were set to track the development of the technologies required for the instrument; we report on completion of WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph milestone 2—a narrowband 10−8 contrast test with static aberrations for the shaped pupil—and the plans for the upcoming broadband coronagraph milestone 5.
One of the two primary architectures being tested for the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph instrument is the shaped pupil coronagraph, which uses a binary aperture in a pupil plane to create localized regions of high contrast in a subsequent focal plane. The aperture shapes are determined by optimization, and can be designed to work in the presence of secondary obscurations and spiders - an important consideration for coronagraphy with WFIRST-AFTA. We present the current performance of the shaped pupil testbed, including the results of AFTA Milestone 2, in which ≈ 6 × 10-9 contrast was achieved in three independent runs starting from a neutral setting.
NASA’s WFIRST-AFTA mission concept includes the first high-contrast stellar coronagraph in space. This coronagraph will be capable of directly imaging and spectrally characterizing giant exoplanets similar to Neptune and Jupiter, and possibly even super-Earths, around nearby stars. In this paper we present the plan for maturing coronagraph technology to TRL5 in 2014-2016, and the results achieved in the first 6 months of the technology development work. The specific areas that are discussed include coronagraph testbed demonstrations in static and simulated dynamic environment, design and fabrication of occulting masks and apodizers used for starlight suppression, low-order wavefront sensing and control subsystem, deformable mirrors, ultra-low-noise spectrograph detector, and data post-processing.
Off-axis, high-sag PIAA optics for high contrast imaging present challenges in manufacturing and testing.
With smaller form factors and consequently smaller surface deformations (< 80 microns), diamond turned
fabrication of these mirrors becomes feasible. Though such a design reduces the system throughput, it
still provides 2λ/D inner working angle. We report on the design, fabrication, measurements, and initial
assessment of the novel PIAA optics in a coronagraph testbed. We also describe, for the first time, a four
mirror PIAA coronagraph that relaxes apodizer requirements and significantly improves throughput while
preserving the low-cost benefits.
Main brassboard Michelson interferometer components have been recently developed for the future flight phase
implementations of SIM Lite mission. These brassboard components include two fine steering mirrors, pathlength
modulation and cyclic averaging optics and astrometric beam combiner assembly. Field-independent performance tests
will be performed in a vacuum chamber using two siderostats in retro-reflecting positions and a white light stimulus. The
brightness and color dependence of the angle and fringe tracking performance will be measured. The performance of
filtering algorithms will be tested in a simulated spacecraft attitude control system perturbation. To demonstrate
capability of a dim star observation, the angle and fringe tracking CCD sensors are cooled to -110 C using a cold diode
heat pipe system. The new feed-forward control (angle and path-length) algorithms for the dim star observation will be
tested as well. In this paper, we will report the recent progress toward the integration and performance tests of the
brassboard interferometer.
The SIM-Lite astrometric interferometer will search for Earth-size planets in the habitable zones of nearby stars. In this
search the interferometer will monitor the astrometric position of candidate stars relative to nearby reference stars over
the course of a 5 year mission. The elemental measurement is the angle between a target star and a reference star. This is
a two-step process, in which the interferometer will each time need to use its controllable optics to align the starlight in
the two arms with each other and with the metrology beams. The sensor for this alignment is an angle tracking CCD
camera. Various constraints in the design of the camera subject it to systematic alignment errors when observing a star of
one spectrum compared with a start of a different spectrum. This effect is called a Color Dependent Centroid Shift
(CDCS) and has been studied extensively with SIM-Lite's SCDU testbed. Here we describe results from the simulation
and testing of this error in the SCDU testbed, as well as effective ways that it can be reduced to acceptable levels.
SIM Lite is a space-borne stellar interferometer capable of searching for Earth-size planets in the habitable zones of
nearby stars. This search will require measurement of astrometric angles with sub micro-arcsecond accuracy and optical
pathlength differences to 1 picometer by the end of the five-year mission. One of the most significant technical risks in
achieving this level of accuracy is from systematic errors that arise from spectral differences between candidate stars and
nearby reference stars. The Spectral Calibration Development Unit (SCDU), in operation since 2007, has been used to
explore this effect and demonstrate performance meeting SIM goals. In this paper we present the status of this testbed
and recent results.
KEYWORDS: MATLAB, Computing systems, Cameras, Data storage, Data processing, Data acquisition, Distributed computing, Human-machine interfaces, Control systems, Real-time computing
In the course of fulfilling its mandate, the Spectral Calibration Development Unit (SCDU) testbed for SIM-Lite produces
copious amounts of raw data. To effectively spend time attempting to understand the science driving the data, the team
devised computerized automations to limit the time spent bringing the testbed to a healthy state and commanding it,
and instead focus on analyzing the processed results. We developed a multi-layered scripting language that emphasized
the scientific experiments we conducted, which drastically shortened our experiment scripts, improved their readability,
and all-but-eliminated testbed operator errors. In addition to scientific experiment functions, we also developed a set of
automated alignments that bring the testbed up to a well-aligned state with little more than the push of a button. These
scripts were written in the scripting language, and in Matlab via an interface library, allowing all members of the team to
augment the existing scripting language with complex analysis scripts. To keep track of these results, we created an easilyparseable
state log in which we logged both the state of the testbed and relevant metadata. Finally, we designed a distributed
processing system that allowed us to farm lengthy analyses to a collection of client computers which reported their results
in a central log. Since these logs were parseable, we wrote query scripts that gave us an effortless way to compare results
collected under different conditions. This paper serves as a case-study, detailing the motivating requirements for the
decisions we made and explaining the implementation process.
The SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory is a mission concept for a space-borne instrument to perform micro-arcsecond
narrow-angle astrometry to search 60 to 100 nearby stars for Earth-like planets, and to perform global astrometry for a
broad astrophysics program. The main enabling technology development for the mission was completed during phases A
& B. While the project is waiting for the results of the ASTRO2010 Decadal Survey to proceed into flight
implementation, the instrument team is currently converting the developed technology onto flight-ready engineering
models. These key engineering tasks will significantly reduce the implementation risks during the flight phases C & D of
the mission.
The main optical interferometer components, including the astrometric beam combiner (ABC), the fine steering
mechanism (FSM), the path-length control and modulation optical mechanisms (POM & MOM), focal plane camera
electronics (ATC & FTC), camera cooling cryo-heat pipe, and the siderostat mechanism are currently under
development. Main assemblies are built to meet flight requirements and have been or will be subjected to flight
qualification level environmental testing (random vibration and thermal cycling) and performance testing. The Spectral
Calibration Development Unit (SCDU), a white light interferometer testbed has recently demonstrated how to perform
the spectral calibration of the instrument. The Guide 2 Telescope testbed (G2T) has demonstrated the 50 micro-arcsecond
angle monitoring capability required by SIM Lite to perform astrometry. This paper summarizes recent progress
in engineering risk reduction activities.
SIM-Lite missions will perform astrometry at microarcsecond accuracy using star light interferometry. For typical
baselines that are shorter than 10 meters, this requires to measure optical path difference (OPD) accurate to tens of
picometers calling for highly accurate calibration. A major challenge is to calibrate the star spectral dependency
in fringe measurements - the spectral calibration. Previously, we have developed a spectral calibration and
estimation scheme achieving picometer level accuracy. In this paper, we present the improvements regarding the
application of this scheme from sensitivity studies. Data from the SIM Spectral Calibration Development Unit
(SCDU) test facility shows that the fringe OPD is very sensitive to pointings of both beams from the two arms of
the interferometer. This sensitivity coupled with a systematic pointing error provides a mechanism to explain the
bias changes in 2007. Improving system alignment can effectively reduce this sensitivity and thus errors due to
pointing errors. Modeling this sensitivity can lead to further improvement in data processing. We then investigate
the sensitivity to a model parameter, the bandwidth used in the fringe model, which presents an interesting trade
between systematic and random errors. Finally we show the mitigation of calibration errors due to system drifts
by interpolating instrument calibrations. These improvements enable us to use SCDU data to demonstrate that SIM-Lite missions can meet the 1pm noise floor requirement for detecting earth-like exoplanets.
The SIM-Planetquest (Space Interferometry Mission), currently under development at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
consists of two 6-meter baseline interferometers on a flexible truss. SIM's science goals require 1μas accuracy in its
astrometric measurements[1]. To achieve this level of accuracy for detecting planets SIM built the Spectrum Calibration
Development Unit (SCDU) testbed. The testbed requires a white light point source with broadband spectrum. Before
each long test the spectrum on the camera must be calibrated. To achieve this task a laser light visible to camera was
coupled to the white light source. The light system needed pointing stability of better than 4 micro-radians and a
minimum optical power level at the fringe tracking camera. Due to stability requirement of the experiment, the setup,
including the point source is in a vacuum chamber. To get a broadband spectrum point source inside the vacuum
chamber white light from a multimode fiber was combined with laser light in free space to a photonics crystal fiber
(PCF). The output is a single mode, broadband, and Gaussian beam. This paper explains the details of such a design and
shows some of the results.
This paper will present the analysis results taken from a well-designed interferometer SCDU. The
objective is to deliver picometer performance to meet the allocated astrometric error budget from SIM
PlanetQuest mission. It will describe the validation of optical designs and analysis procedures to achieve
high accuracy of the tip-tilt and shear alignments. Then it will enumerate environmental factors essential to
the SCDU performances. Finally it will report color-independent 3 picometer Narrow Angle (NA)
performance and all-in-one 17 picometer NA performance. The all-in-one pico-performance will require
spectral calibration modeling to remove delay differential induced by color.
KEYWORDS: Calibration, Spectral calibration, Data modeling, Fourier transforms, Wavefronts, Charge-coupled devices, Optical filters, Monte Carlo methods, Modulation, Signal detection
The SIM PlanetQuest Mission will perform astrometry to one microarcsecond accuracy using optical interferometers
requiring optical path delay difference (OPD) measurements accurate to tens of picometers. Success
relies on very precise calibration. Spectral Calibration Development Unit (SCDU) has been built to demonstrate
the capability of calibrating spectral dependency of the white light fringe OPD to accuracy better than 20pm.
In this article, we present the spectral calibration modeling work for SCDU to achieve the SIM PlanetQuest
Engineering Milestone 4. SCDU data analysis shows that the wave front aberrations cause the instrument phase
dispersions to vary by tens of nanometers over the bandwidth of a CCD pixel making the previous model inadequate.
We include the effect of the wave front aberrations in the white light fringe model and develop a
procedure for calibrating the corresponding model parameters using long stroke fringe data based on Discrete
Fourier Transform. We make the calibration procedure flight traceable by dividing the whole calibration into the
instrument calibration and the source spectral calibration. End-to-end simulations are used to quantify both
the systematic and random errors in spectral calibration. The efficacy of the calibration scheme is demonstrated
using the SCDU experimental data.
KEYWORDS: Mirrors, Simulation of CCA and DLA aggregates, Cameras, Camera shutters, Optical alignment, Staring arrays, Interferometry, Metrology, Mechanical engineering, Off axis mirrors
The Astrometric Beam Combiner (ABC) is a critical element of the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) that
performs three key functions: coherently combine starlight from two siderostats; individually detect starlight for
angle tracking; and disperse and detect the interferometric fringes. In addition, the ABC contains: a stimulus,
cornercubes and shutters for in-orbit calibration; several tip/tilt mirror mechanisms for in-orbit alignment; and
internal metrology beam launcher for pathlength monitoring. The detailed design of the brassboard ABC (which
has the form, fit and function of the flight unit) is complete, procurement of long-lead items is underway, and
assembly and testing is expected to be completed in Spring 2009. In this paper, we present the key requirements
for the ABC, details of the completed optical and mechanical design as well as plans for assembly and alignment.
SCDU (Spectral Calibration Development Unit) is a vacuum test bed that was built and operated for the SIM-Planetquest
Mission and has successfully demonstrated the calibration of spectral instrument error to an accuracy of
better than 20 picometers. This performance is consistent with the 1 micro-arc second goal of SIM. The calibration
procedure demonstrated in the test bed is traceable to the SIM flight instrument. This article is a review of all aspects of
the design and operation of the hardware as well as the methodology for spectral calibration. Spectral calibration to
better than 20 picometers and implications for flight are discussed.
A breadboard is under development to demonstrate the calibration of spectral errors in microarcsecond stellar
interferometers. Analysis shows that thermally and mechanically stable hardware in addition to careful optical design
can reduce the wavelength dependent error to tens of nanometers. Calibration of the hardware can further reduce the
error to the level of picometers. The results of thermal, mechanical and optical analysis supporting the breadboard
design will be shown.
The Space Interferometer Mission (SIM), scheduled for launch in 2009, is a space-born visible light stellar interferometer capable of micro-arcsecond-level astrometry. The Micro-Arcsecond Metrology testbed (MAM) is the ground-based testbed that incorporates all the functionalities of SIM minus the telescope, for mission-enabling technology development and verification. MAM employs a laser heterodyne metrology system using the Sub-Aperture Vertex-to-Vertex (SAVV) concept. In this paper, we describe the development and modification of the SAVV metrology launchers and the metrology instrument electronics, precision alignments and pointing control, locating cyclic error sources in the MAM testbed and methods to mitigate the cyclic errors, as well as the performance under the MAM performance metrics.
The Optically Programmable Gate Array (OPGA), an optical version of a conventional FPGA, benefits from a direct parallel interface between an optical memory and a logic circuit. The OPGA utilizes a holographic memory accessed by an array of VCSELs to program its logic. An active pixel sensor array incorporated into the OPGA chip makes it possible to optically address the logic in a very short time allowing for rapid dynamic reconfiguration. Combining spatial and shift multiplexing to store the configuration pages in the memory, the OPGA module can be made compact. The reconfiguration capability of the OPGA can be applied to solve more efficiently problems in pattern recognition and database search.
The holographic disc is a high capacity, disk-based data storage device that can provide the performance for next generation mass data storage needs. With a projected capacity approaching 1 terabit on a single 12 cm platter, the holographic disc has the potential to become a highly efficient storage hardware for data warehousing applications. The high readout rate of holographic disc makes it especially suitable for generating multiple, high bandwidth data streams such as required for network server computers. Multimedia applications such as interactive video and HDTV can also potentially benefit from the high capacity and fast data access of holographic memory.
The high data transfer rate achievable in page-oriented optical memories demands for parallel interfaces to logic circuits able to process efficiently the data. The Optically Programmable Gate Array, an enhanced version of a conventional FPGA, utilizes a holographic memory accessed by an array of VCSELs to program its logic. Combining spatial and shift multiplexing to store the configuration pages in the memory, the OPGA module is very compact and has extremely short configuration time allowing for dynamic reconfiguration. The reconfiguration capability of the OPGA can be applied to solve more efficiently problems in pattern recognition and digit classification.
Reconfigurable processors bring a new computational paradigm where the processor modifies its structure to suit a given application, rather than having to modify the application to fit the device. The Optically Programmable Gate Array, an enhanced version of a conventional FPGA, utilizes a holographic memory accessed by an array of VCSELs to program its logic. Combining spatial and shift multipexing to store the configuration pages in the memory, the OPGA module is very compact and has extremely short configuration time allowing for dynamic reconfiguration. The reconfiguration capability of the OPGA can be applied to solve more efficiently problems in pattern recognition and digit classification.
We have experimentally discovered that the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of holograms initially remains constant as the number of holograms stored increases and drops significantly only after a large number of holograms are recorded. This suggests that in a large-scale memory, the limiting noise source is not crosstalk between holograms but holographic noise due to the prolonged exposure of the signal beam. We have carried out experiments to investigate the formation and influence of the inter-pixel grating noise and shown that it is a very important form of holographic noise. We also proposed and demonstrated the use of random-phase modulation in the signal to suppress the inter-pixel grating noise.
Optical byte recognition using volume holographic correlator is presented. The storage of 256 multiplexed holograms is performed and the phase-coded byte discrimination in real- time is experimented.
Holographic memories can be read-out either with the reference or the signal beam. Reference beam read-out reconstructs the stored data whereas signal beam read-out performs a search of the stored data base. This dual mode of holographic memories is explored for the various methods that have been developed for multiplexing holograms.
We review methods of nonvolatile storage in photorefractive materials, namely thermal and electrical fixing, two-lambda readout, two photon recording, and periodic refreshing. For each method, we briefly review the physical processes that are responsible for counteracting photorefractive erasure, and present recent experimental results.
We describe a page-formatted random-access holographic memory capable of storing up to 160,000 holograms. A segmented mirror array allows a 2D angle scanner to provide access to any of the stored holograms. High-speed random access can be achieved with a nonmechanical angle scanner. We demonstrate holographic storage and high-speed retrieval using an acousto- optic deflector.
In this paper we explore the use of 3D disks for the construction of networks with extremely large storage capacity. 3D disks can store up to 1012 weights per disk. In this paper we discuss how 3D disks are used to implement an optical neural network and then derive the capacity and speed of the resulting architecture.
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