Optimal shaped pupils and wavefront control for planet finding coronagraphy

Motivated by the desire to image exosolar planets, recent work by us and others has shown that high-contrast imaging can be achieved using specially shaped pupil masks. The objective of a shaped pupil coronagraph is to design an aperture that results in a system point spread function (PSF) with the needed contrast allowing planet discovery at the smallest inner working distance (IWD) in the shortest integration time. To do this, we optimize throughput with contrast and IWD constraints. In this paper we summarize the various optimal shaped pupils we have created to date, comparing their performance. We also present preliminary results on stochastic wavefront estimation and control algorithms, an essential capability for any coronagraphic planet finding system.