Review of OCA activities on nulling testbench PERSEE [2010]

Abstract : We present a review of our activities on PERSEE (Pégase Experiment for Research and Stabilization of Extreme Extinction) at Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (OCA). PERSEE is a laboratory testbench aiming at achieving a stabilized nulling ratio better than 10-4 in the astronomical bands K and M, in presence of flight-representative spacecraft perturbations. The bench has been jointly developed by a Consortium of six French institutes and companies, among which OCA was responsible for the star simulator and of the opto-mechanical studies, procurement and manufacturing of the optical train. In this communication are presented the alignment and image quality requirements and the optomechanical design of the illumination module and main optical train, including a periscope Achromatic Phase Shifter (APS), tip-tilt mirrors used to introduce and then compensate for dynamic perturbations, delay lines, beam compressors and fiber injection optics. Preliminary test results of the star simulator are also provided.

Keywords : Nulling interferometry, Nulling testbench, Achromatic phase shifter, Opto-mechanical design