@inproceedings{03af14399cb24803bb93dccf52294d40,
title = "Progress on optical verification for occulter-based high contrast imaging",
abstract = "An external occulter is a specially-shaped spacecraft flown in formation with a telescope. It enables high-contrast imaging of the dim planetary companions of the neighboring solar system by blocking starlight before it reaches the entrance pupil. Occulters have to be designed via optimization methods that account for diffraction to most effectively block starlight. To predict occulter performance, we must verify the fidelity of the optical propagation models under scaled conditions. In this paper, we measure the contrast of a scaled occulter. The validity of the contrast calibration is determined using a baseline circular occulter. We verify contrast better than 10-10, however the measurements do not perform as well as the prediction from theoretical modelling. We attribute this difference to glint scattering off mask edges.",
keywords = "External Occulters, High Contrast Imaging, Optical Verification, Optimization, Scalar Diffraction",
author = "Dan Sirbu and Kasdin, {N. Jeremy} and Vanderbei, {Robert J.}",
year = "2013",
doi = "10.1117/12.2024488",
language = "English (US)",
isbn = "9780819497147",
series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",
booktitle = "Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets VI",
note = "Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets VI ; Conference date: 26-08-2013 Through 29-08-2013",
}