Using SCExAO as a Testbed for Technology Development

SCExAO also serves as a testbed for technology development. Its internal broadband light source allows daytime operation.

Raw Contrast Level and Contrast Stability

The SCExAO testbed offers ~1e-6 raw contrast and ~1e-8 contrast stability. The raw contrast is function of the coronagraph mode, spectral bandwidth and speckle control mode. Contrast stability can be improved by running active wavefront control loop(s).

SCExAO raw contrast level and contrast stability measured with the broadband internal source.

Advanced Wavefront Control R&D

We support various WFS/C research activities. Contact us if you would like to run WFS/C algorithms on the testbed.

Users can communicate with the DM and cameras using file interface (slow), python scripts (up to ~kHz frame rate) or C libraries (multiple kHz frame rate, low latency). We provide full telemetry to disk, with ~10 microsec time resolution across all cameras.