Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization Complex Mask Coronagraph (PIAACMC) on-sky demonstration with MagAO-X

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the first on-sky performance characterization of the PIAACMC coronagraph with MagAO-X, achieving sub-lambda/D IWAs and contrasts suitable for high-contrast imaging of exoplanets.

Contribution

It provides the initial on-sky validation of PIAACMC's contrast and IWA performance at sub-micron wavelengths using MagAO-X.

Findings

Achieved sub-lambda/D IWAs of about 0.74 and 0.76 lambda/D in two filters.

Reached average raw contrasts of ~1.6e-3 internally and ~1.4e-2 on-sky within 1-5 lambda/D.

Performance limited by manufacturing errors, wavefront control, and observing conditions.

Abstract

Advancing the technological development of small inner working angle (IWA) coronagraphs is essential to enabling high-contrast imaging of temperate exoplanets with future extremely large telescopes. The PIAACMC has been shown to closely approach the theoretical limit for coronagraphic throughput but its performance has not been fully characterised on-sky. This study serves as the first on-sky characterisation of contrast and IWA performance of the PIAACMC and its first technological demonstration at sub-micron wavelengths. We designed and manufactured phase-shifting focal plane masks optimised for two cases, a narrowband 875 filter (875nm, 3% band) and a broadband z' filter (908nm, 14% band). We tested the coronagraphs both with an internal source and on-sky using MagAOX, the extreme adaptive optics instrument for the Magellan Clay 6.5 m telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. We show good recovery of the off-axis light's PSF shape within 92% and 97% depending on the separation when aligning the inverse set of PIAA lenses. We demonstrate sub-lambda/D IWAs of about 0.74 lambda/D in 875 and 0.76 lambda/D in z'. We reach average raw contrasts within 1 and 5 lambda/D with the internal source of about 1.6e-3 in 875 and 1.3e-3 in z'. These are mainly limited by the focal plane mask manufacturing errors, jitter, and residual quasi-static speckles in MagAO-X. We also show on-sky average raw contrasts within 1 and 5 lambda/D of about 1.4e-2 in 875 and 7.8e-3 in z'. These are likely limited by wavefront control, low-order aberrations, and poor observing conditions. Future work will improve the design and manufacturing processes of the focal plane masks to improve robustness and reach deeper contrast, as well as integrate focal plane wavefront control for non-common path aberrations correction.