RISTRETTO: reflected-light exoplanet spectroscopy at the diffraction limit of the VLT

TL;DR

RISTRETTO is a high-resolution spectrograph designed for the VLT to detect and analyze exoplanets in reflected light, enabling new atmospheric and surface studies of nearby celestial objects.

Contribution

It introduces a novel combination of high-contrast adaptive optics with a high-resolution spectrograph and a specialized coronagraphic IFU, advancing exoplanet characterization capabilities.

Findings

Design phase completed for the spectrograph subsystem.

Preliminary AO front-end design underway.

Innovative coronagraphic IFU with PIAA and 3D-printed microlenses developed.

Abstract

RISTRETTO is a visible high-resolution spectrograph fed by an extreme adaptive optics (AO) system, to be proposed as a visitor instrument on ESO VLT. The main science goal of RISTRETTO is to pioneer the detection and atmospheric characterisation of exoplanets in reflected light, in particular the temperate rocky planet Proxima b. RISTRETTO will be able to measure albedos and detect atmospheric features in a number of exoplanets orbiting nearby stars for the first time. It will do so by combining a high-contrast AO system working at the diffraction limit of the telescope to a high-resolution spectrograph, via a 7-spaxel integral-field unit (IFU) feeding single-mode fibers. Further science cases for RISTRETTO include the study of accreting protoplanets such as PDS70b/c through spectrally-resolved H-alpha emission, and spatially-resolved studies of Solar System objects such as icy moons and the ice giants Uranus and Neptune. The project is in the manufacturing phase for the spectrograph sub-system, and the preliminary design phase for the AO front-end. Specific developments for RISTRETTO include a novel coronagraphic IFU combining a phase-induced amplitude apodizer (PIAA) to a 3D-printed microlens array feeding a bundle of single-mode fibers. It also features an XAO system with a dual wavefront sensor aiming at high robustness and sensitivity, including to pupil fragmentation. RISTRETTO is a pathfinder instrument in view of similar developments at the ELT, in particular the SCAO-IFU mode of ELT-ANDES and the future ELT-PCS instrument.