How nonlinear optics can merge interferometry for high resolution imaging

D. Ceus; F. Reynaud; A. Tonello; L. Delage; L. Grossard

doi:10.1117/12.2309204

20 November 2017 How nonlinear optics can merge interferometry for high resolution imaging

D. Ceus, F. Reynaud, A. Tonello, L. Delage, L. Grossard

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10565, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2010; 105652H (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2309204
Event: International Conference on Space Optics—ICSO 2010, 2010, Rhodes Island, Greece

Abstract

High resolution stellar interferometers are very powerful efficient instruments to get a better knowledge of our Universe through the spatial coherence analysis of the light. For this purpose, the optical fields collected by each telescope T_i are mixed together. From the interferometric pattern, two expected information called the contrast C_ij and the phase information φ_ij are extracted. These information lead to the V_ij, called the complex visibility, with V_ij=C_ijexp(jφ_ij). For each telescope doublet T_iT_j, it is possible to get a complex visibility V_ij. The Zernike Van Cittert theorem gives a relationship between the intensity distribution of the object observed and the complex visibility. The combination of the acquired complex visibilities and a reconstruction algorithm allows imaging reconstruction.

To avoid lots of technical difficulties related to infrared optics (components transmission, thermal noises, thermal cooling…), our team proposes to explore the possibility of using nonlinear optical techniques. This is a promising alternative detection technique for detecting infrared optical signals. This way, we experimentally demonstrate that frequency conversion does not result in additional bias on the interferometric data supplied by a stellar interferometer.

In this presentation, we report on wavelength conversion of the light collected by each telescope from the infrared domain to the visible. The interferometric pattern is observed in the visible domain with our, so called, upconversion interferometer. Thereby, one can benefit from mature optical components mainly used in optical telecommunications (waveguide, coupler, multiplexer…) and efficient low-noise detection schemes up to the single-photon counting level.

Citation Download Citation

D. Ceus, F. Reynaud, A. Tonello, L. Delage, and L. Grossard "How nonlinear optics can merge interferometry for high resolution imaging", Proc. SPIE 10565, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2010, 105652H (20 November 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2309204

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

PROCEEDINGS
5 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY