DARKNESS: A Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector Integral Field Spectrograph for High-Contrast Astronomy

TL;DR

DARKNESS is an innovative integral field spectrograph utilizing MKIDs for high-contrast astronomical imaging, enabling real-time speckle control and improved post-processing at high frame rates.

Contribution

It introduces the first MKID-based integral field spectrograph for high-contrast imaging, combining photon counting with low-resolution spectroscopy for enhanced speckle suppression.

Findings

Operational behind Palomar's adaptive optics system

Demonstrated real-time speckle control capabilities

Achieved promising early on-sky results

Abstract

We present DARKNESS (the DARK-speckle Near-infrared Energy-resolving Superconducting Spectrophotometer), the first of several planned integral field spectrographs to use optical/near-infrared Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) for high-contrast imaging. The photon counting and simultaneous low-resolution spectroscopy provided by MKIDs will enable real-time speckle control techniques and post-processing speckle suppression at framerates capable of resolving the atmospheric speckles that currently limit high-contrast imaging from the ground. DARKNESS is now operational behind the PALM-3000 extreme adaptive optics system and the Stellar Double Coronagraph at Palomar Observatory. Here we describe the motivation, design, and characterization of the instrument, early on-sky results, and future prospects.