Optical characterization of infrared telluride glass fibers for space use

Single mode chalcogenide glass fiber as wavefront filter for the DARWIN planet finding misson

The development of single mode chalcogenide glass fibers as wavefront filter for the DARWIN mission is reported. Melting procedures and different preform techniques for manufacturing core-cladding chalcogenide fibers are described. Bulk glass samples on the basis of Te-As-Se- and high Te-compositions have been characterized optically, by...

Development of IR single mode optical fibers for DARWIN-nulling interferometry

The DARWIN mission aims to detect weak infra-red emission lines from distant orbiting earth-like planets using nulling interferometry. This requires filtering of wavefront errors using single mode waveguides operating at a wavelength range of 6.5-20 μm. This article describes the optical design of the fibers, the manufacturing protocol, the...

Selenium modified GeTe₄ based glasses optical fibers for far-infrared sensing

This study reports on the synthesis of telluride glasses that have transmission far beyond the second atmospheric window and are stable enough toward crystallisation to be drawn into optical fiber. These glasses are based on the GeTe₄ initial composition which has been stabilized by the introduction of few percents of Se and a...

Telluride glass step index fiber for the far infrared

Nulling interferometry is an important technique under development for the DARWIN planet finding mission which enables the detection of the weak infrared emission lines of an orbiting planet. This technique requires the use of single mode optical fibers transmitting light as far as possible in the infrared. Tellurium based glasses transmit...

Development of infrared single-mode fibers for 2 wavelength bands of the Darwin mission: Test results of prototypes

Various space telescope array systems are being considered to investigate other terrestrial planets orbiting around nearby stars in order to find extra-terrestrial life. One of them is the DARWIN mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). The required technology is the nulling interferometer. The challenge of nulling is making the null in the...

Infrared single mode chalcogenide glass fiber for space

An important measuring technique under study for the DARWIN planet finding mission, is nulling interferometry, enabling the detection of the weak infrared emission lines of an orbiting planet. This technique requires a perfect wavefront of the light beams to be combined in the interferometer. By using a single mode waveguide before detection,...

Development of broadband infrared single-mode fibers for the DARWIN mission

A vital function of the space interferometer foreseen in the DARWIN mission is the so-called "nulling" operation. The challenge of nulling is making the null in the interferometric signal sufficiently deep to cancel the light from the bright star during the collection of light from its surrounding planets. The performance of the nulling is...

Test results of the infrared single-mode fiber for the DARWIN mission

Nulling interferometry is the baseline technique for the DARWIN planet finding mission of the European Space Agency. Using this technique it will be possible to cancel, by destructive interference, the light from the bright star and look directly at its surrounding planets and eventually discover life on them. To achieve this goal wavefront...