Development of a CELestial Infrared Nuller Experiment (CELINE) for broadband nulling and new single-mode fiber testing

Abstract

The small angular distance (<100 mas) and the huge flux ratio (10^7) between an Earth-like exoplanet in the socalled habitable zone and its host star makes it very difficult to direct image such systems. Nulling interferometry consists of a very powerful technique that combines destructively the light from two or more collectors to dim the starlight and to reveal faint companions in its vicinity. We have developed a new nulling experiment based on the fiber nuller principle. This fully symmetric reflective nulling bench aims at testing broadband nulling in both H and K bands as well as characterizing photonic fibers for modal filtering. We present in this paper the design, the development as well as preliminary results of the experiment.

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