Optimal Asymmetric Apodizations and Shaped Pupils for Planet Finding Coronagraphy

Abstract

The realization that direct imaging of extrasolar planets could be technologically feasible within the next decade or so has inspired a great deal of recent research into high-contrast imaging. We ourselves have contributed several design ideas, all of which can be described as shaped pupil coronagraphs. In this paper, we offer a complete and unified survey of asymmetric shaped pupils designs, some of which have been published in our previous papers. We also introduce a promising new design, which we call barcode masks. These masks achieve the required contrast with a fairly large discovery zone and throughput but most importantly they are perhaps the easiest to manufacture and might therefore stand up best to a refined analysis based on vector propogation techniques.