Rotationally-shearing Interferometer: Preliminary results with a Simulator solar system

摘要

We describe preliminary experimental results on the laboratory demonstration of a technique to detect an extrasolarplanet using a rotationally shearing interferometer. We simulate a planet and a star in a simulated solar system thatconsists of two lasers, placed at approximately 90 degrees with respect to each other. Each laser beam is expandedwith a beam expander, followed by a common collimator lens to simulate the wavefronts from the star and off-axisplanet. We confirm the theoretical prediction that the off-axis planet produces fringes whose density increases withthe angle of rotation of the Dove prism in the rotational shearing interferometer. The star generates a uniformwavefront that is invariant to the angle of rotation of the Dove prism. The angle of Dove prism is under control of theexperimentalist; therefore, the number of fringes may be controlled from the Earth to confirm (or negate) the planetexistence.