September 2008: Aktiwave delivers 6 coronagraphs to the Paris Observatory

 

Aktiwave has delivered 6 coronagraphs to the Paris Observatory. The coronagraphs are being used on a test-bench to test the ability of next-generation telescopes to observe faint planets next to bright stars. A coronagraph has a spatially-varying transmission, which must be accurately fabricated. The examples below show the transmission measured on one of the coronagraphs and the comparison between the specified transmission and the measured transmission. The coronagraphs have excellent circular symmetry and are achromatic.
 

 

Spatially-resolved intensity transmission of one of the fabricated coronagraphs
Comparison of the specified amplitude transmission with the measured transmission