Phase-shifting technique for improving the imaging capacity of sparse-aperture optical interferometers

Area of Science:

• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Current astronomical imaging techniques face limitations in achieving extreme angular resolution.
• Interferometry offers high resolution but can be complex to implement and calibrate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel multiaperture interferometer design for rapid, high-resolution astrophysical imaging.
• To highlight the advantages of this phase-shifting interferometer for astronomical observations.

Main Methods:

• Utilizes a phase-shifting technique combined with Fourier inversion for image reconstruction.
• Employs a multiaperture configuration suitable for coupling numerous telescopes.
• Numerical simulations were performed to validate the design's feasibility.

Main Results:

• The proposed interferometer demonstrates radiometric efficiency and a wide field of view comparable to Fizeau interferometers.
• A preliminary calibration procedure is outlined for characterizing instrumental errors.
• The design allows for significant simplification of optical and mechanical components, especially for large telescope arrays.

Conclusions:

• The multiaperture interferometer is a promising technology for achieving extreme angular resolution in astronomical snapshots.
• The design facilitates the integration of hundreds of telescopes onto a single detector, leveraging conventional and emerging optical technologies.