NASA NTRS2006
The broadband performance of the high-contrast imaging testbed (HCIT) at JPL is investigated through optical modeling and simulations. The analytical tool is an optical simulation algorithm developed by combining the HCIT's optical model with a speckle-nulling algorithm that operates directly on coronagraphic images, an algorithm identical to the one currently being used on the HCIT to actively suppress scattered light via a deformable mirror. It is capable of performing full three-dimensional end-to-end near-field diffraction analysis on the HCIT's optical system. By conducting speckle-nulling optimization, we clarify the HCIT's capability and limitations in terms of its broadband contrast performance under various realistic conditions. Considered cases include non-ideal occulting masks, such as a mask with optical density and wavelength dependent parasitic phase-delay errors (i.e., a not band-limited occulting mask) and the one with an optical-density profile corresponding to a measured, non-standard profile, as well as the independently measured phase errors of all optics. Most of the information gathered on the HCIT's optical components through measurement and characterization over the last several years at JPL has been used in this analysis to make the predictions as accurate as possible. The best contrast values predicted so far by our simulations obtainable on the HCIT illuminated with a broadband light having a bandwidth of 80nm and centered at 800nm wavelength are Cm=1.1x10-8 (mean) and C4=4.9x10-8 (at 4(lamda)/D), respectively. In this paper we report our preliminary findings about the broadband light performance of the HCIT.