NOTT (formerly Hi-5) is the L’-band (3.5-4.0μm) nulling interferometer of Asgard, an instrument suite in preparation for the VLTI visitor focus. The primary scientific objectives of NOTT include characterizing (i) young planetary systems near the snow line, a critical region for giant planet formation, and (ii) nearby mainsequence stars close to the habitable zone, with a focus on detecting exozodiacal dust that could obscure Earthlike planets. In 2023-2024, the final warm optics have been procured and assembled in a new laboratory at KU Leuven. First fringes and null measurements were obtained using a Gallium Lanthanum Sulfide (GLS) photonic chip that was also tested at cryogenic temperatures. In this paper, we present an overall update of the NOTT project with a particular focus on the cold mechanical design, the first results in the laboratory with the final NOTT warm optics, and the ongoing Asgard integration activities. We also report on other ongoing activities such as the characterization of the photonic chip (GLS, LiNbO3, SiO), the development of the exoplanet science case, the design of the dispersion control module, and the progress with the self-calibration data reduction software.
With sub-microarcsecond angular accuracy, the Theia telescope will be capable of revealing the architectures of nearby exoplanetary systems down to the mass of Earth. This research addresses the challenges inherent in space astrometry missions, focusing on focal plane calibration and telescope optical distortion. We propose to assess the future feasibility of large-format detectors (50 to 200 megapixels) in a controlled laboratory environment. The aim is to improve the architecture of the focal plane while ensuring that specifications are met. The use of field stars as metrological sources for calibrating the optical distortion of the field may help to constrain telescope stability. The paper concludes with an attempt to confirm in the laboratory the performance predicted by simulations. We will also address the possibility of using such techniques with a dedicated instrument for the Habitable World Observatory.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.