Research

Astronomical Instrumentation for high contrast direct imaging of exoplanets.

Current Research Interests

My research is focused on the design and testing of new coronagraph technologies for exoplanet direct imaging. The techniques I have developed involve a combination of optical modeling and experimental lab testing on high contrast imaging benches towards the goal of finding a viable achromatic scalar vortex coronagraph solution to reach the requirements of future exoplanet direct imaging space telescope missions.

My PhD work at Caltech in the Exoplanet Technology Lab involves running experiments in the lab on the High Contrast Spectroscopy Testbed. I have tested several scalar vortex corongraphic focal plane masks including the ones shown below!

Recently I have been exploring focal plane wavefront sensing and control algorithms relating to coronagraph development. I have implemented, and compared the performance of several wavefront control algorithms on the In-Air Corongraph Testbed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This image shows real lab data and demonstrates how much of a difference incorporating wavefront control with deformable mirrors in your coronagraph instrument can make in looking for planets!

To read a general introduction to coronagraphy check out Coronagraphy 101.