Wavefront error correction and Earth-like planet detection by Self-Coherent Camera in space

Abstract

In the context of exoplanet detection, the performance of coronagraphs is limited by wavefront errors. To efficiently correct for these aberrations with a deformable mirror, it is mandatory to measure them using the science detector with a very high accuracy. The Self-Coherent Camera which is based on light incoherence between star and its environment enables an estimation of these wavefront errors. That estimation is directly derived from the encoded speckles in the science image. This avoids differential errors due to beam separation and non common optics. Earth-like planet detection is demonstrated by numerical simulations under realistic assumptions for a space telescope. The Self-Coherent Camera is an attractive technique for future space telescopes. It is also one of the techniques under investigation for the E-ELT planet finder so-called EPICS.