Three-beam photonic crystal fiber imaging interferometer.
Some varieties of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) have huge potential for high-resolution imaging in astronomy. They allow us to operate in a single-mode regime over a wide bandwidth keeping a high transmission level. Thus they may be used to carry wide spectral light over hundreds of meters. We report the implementation of what we believe to be the first three-beam interferometer fitted with PCF arms. This configuration is needed to achieve high-resolution imaging. A full description of the experimental setup is given, and closure phase measurements achieved over a 1 microm bandwidth are also presented. With a pointlike source, the theoretical closure phase is expected to be 0 rad. Experimentally, a mean closure phase of 0.01 rad has been measured with a 0.07 rad standard deviation. These results confirm that PCF should be used in an astronomical context.
Vergnole
Sébastien
S
Xlim, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, UMR CNRS 6172, Université de Limoges, France. Sebastien.Vergnole@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
Delage
Laurent
L
Reynaud
François
F