Performance characterization of a broadband vector Apodizing Phase Plate coronagraph.

One of the main challenges for the direct imaging of planets around nearby stars is the suppression of the diffracted halo from the primary star. Coronagraphs are angular filters that suppress this diffracted halo. The Apodizing Phase Plate coronagraph modifies the pupil-plane phase with an anti-symmetric pattern to suppress diffraction over a 180 degree region from 2 to 7 λ/D and achieves a mean raw contrast of 10(-4) in this area, independent of the tip-tilt stability of the system.

Direct-writing of complex liquid crystal patterns.

We report on a direct-write system for patterning of arbitrary, high-quality, continuous liquid crystal (LC) alignment patterns. The system uses a focused UV laser and XY scanning stages to expose a photoalignment layer, which then aligns a subsequent LC layer. We intentionally arrange for multiple overlapping exposures of the photoalignment material by a scanned Gaussian beam, often with a plurality of polarizations and intensities, in order to promote continuous and precise LC alignment.

Spatial heterodyne interferometry with polarization gratings.

The implementation of a polarization-based spatial heterodyne interferometer (SHI) is described. While a conventional SHI uses a Michelson interferometer and diffraction gratings, our SHI exploits mechanically robust Wollaston prisms and polarization gratings. A theoretical model for the polarization SHI is provided and validated with data from our proof of concept experiments.