We introduce a new optical vortex coronagraph(OVC) method to determine the angular distance between two sources when the separation is sub-Rayleigh. We have found a direct relationship between the position of the minima and the source angular separation. A priori knowledge about the location of the two sources is not required. The superresolution capabilities of an OVC, equipped with an ℓ = 2 N-step spiral phase plate in its optical path, were investigated numerically. The results of these investigations show that a fraction of the light, increasing with N, from the secondary source can be detected with a sub-Rayleigh resolution of at least 0.1 λ/D.

© 2012 OSA

1. A. Quirrenbach, “Coronographic Methods for the Detection of Terrestrial Planets,” Arxiv preprint astroph/0502254 (2005).
2. F. Roddier and C. Roddier, “Stellar coronograph with phase mask,” Publ. Astr. Soc. Pacif.109, 815–820 (1997). [CrossRef]
3. D. Rouan, P. Riaud, A. Boccaletti, Y. Clénet, and A. Labeyrie, “The Four-Quadrant Phase-Mask Coronagraph. I. Principle,” Publ. Astr. Soc. Pacif.112, 1479–1486 (2000). [CrossRef]
4. D. Mawet, E. Serabyn, K. Liewer, R. Burruss, J. Hickey, and D. Shemo, “The vector vortex coronagraph: Laboratory results and first light at Palomar Observatory,” Astrophys. J.709, 53–57 (2010). [CrossRef]
5. G. Foo, D. M. Palacios, and G. A. Swartzlander, “Optical vortex coronagraph,” Opt. Lett.30, 3308–3310 (2005). [CrossRef]
6. J. Lee, G. Foo, E. Johnson, and G. A. Swartzlander, “Experimental verification of an optical vortex coronagraph.” Phys. Rev. Lett.97(5), 053901 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. E. Serabyn, D. Mawet, and R. Burruss, “An image of an exoplanet separated by two diffraction beamwidths from a star,” Nature464(7291), 1018–1020 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. P. Coullet, L. Gil, and F. Rocca, “Optical vortices,” Opt. Commun.73(5), 403–408 (1989). [CrossRef]
9. L. Allen, M. W. Beijersbergen, R. J. C. Spreeuw, and J. P. Woerdman, “Orbital angular momentum of light and the transformation of Laguerre-Gaussian laser modes,” Phys. Rev. A45(11), 8185–8189 (1992). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. F. Tamburini, G. Anzolin, G. Umbriaco, A. Bianchini, and C. Barbieri, “Overcoming the Rayleigh criterion limit with optical vortices,” Phys. Rev. Lett.97(16), 163903 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. D. Mawet, P. Riaud, O. Absil, and J. Surdej, “Annular groove phase mask coronagraph,” Astrophys. J.633, 1191–1200 (2005). [CrossRef]
12. G. A. Swartzlander, “The optical vortex coronagraph,” J. Opt. A Pure Appl. Opt.11, 094022 (2009). [CrossRef]
13. M. W. Beijersbergen, R. P. C. Coerwinkel, M. Kristensen, and J. P. Woerdman, “Helical-wavefront laser beams produced with a spiral phaseplate,” Opt. Commun.112, 321–327 (1994). [CrossRef]
14. E. Mari, G. Anzolin, F. Tamburini, M. Prasciolu, G. Umbriaco, A. Bianchini, C. Barbieri, and F. Romanato, “Fabrication and testing of l = 2 optical vortex phase masks for coronography,” Opt. Express18, 2339–2344 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. E. Hecht, Optics, 4th ed. (Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 2001).
16. H. Müller, S.-W. Chiow, Q. Long, C. Vo, and S. Chu, “Active sub-Rayleigh alignment of parallel or antiparallel laser beams,” Opt. Lett.30, 3323–3325 (2005). [CrossRef]
17. G. A. Swartzlander, “Peering into darkness with a vortex spatial filter,” Opt. Lett.26, 497–499 (2001). [CrossRef]
18. M. Pitchumani, H. Hockel, W. Mohammed, and E. Johnson, “Additive lithography for fabrication of diffractive optics,” Appl. Opt.41(29), 6176–6181 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
19. G. A. Swartzlander, “Obtaining spatial information from an extremely unresolved source,” Opt. Lett.36, 4731–4733 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
20. E. Mari, F. Tamburini, C. Barbieri, and A. Bianchini, “Fabrication and testing of phase masks for optical vortex coronagraph to observe extrasolar planets,” Proceedings of SPIE7735, 773534 (2010). [CrossRef]

Appl. Opt.

• M. Pitchumani, H. Hockel, W. Mohammed, and E. Johnson, “Additive lithography for fabrication of diffractive optics,” Appl. Opt.41(29), 6176–6181 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Astrophys. J.

• D. Mawet, P. Riaud, O. Absil, and J. Surdej, “Annular groove phase mask coronagraph,” Astrophys. J.633, 1191–1200 (2005). [CrossRef]
• D. Mawet, E. Serabyn, K. Liewer, R. Burruss, J. Hickey, and D. Shemo, “The vector vortex coronagraph: Laboratory results and first light at Palomar Observatory,” Astrophys. J.709, 53–57 (2010). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. A Pure Appl. Opt.

• G. A. Swartzlander, “The optical vortex coronagraph,” J. Opt. A Pure Appl. Opt.11, 094022 (2009). [CrossRef]

Nature

• E. Serabyn, D. Mawet, and R. Burruss, “An image of an exoplanet separated by two diffraction beamwidths from a star,” Nature464(7291), 1018–1020 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Commun.

• P. Coullet, L. Gil, and F. Rocca, “Optical vortices,” Opt. Commun.73(5), 403–408 (1989). [CrossRef]
• M. W. Beijersbergen, R. P. C. Coerwinkel, M. Kristensen, and J. P. Woerdman, “Helical-wavefront laser beams produced with a spiral phaseplate,” Opt. Commun.112, 321–327 (1994). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• E. Mari, G. Anzolin, F. Tamburini, M. Prasciolu, G. Umbriaco, A. Bianchini, C. Barbieri, and F. Romanato, “Fabrication and testing of l = 2 optical vortex phase masks for coronography,” Opt. Express18, 2339–2344 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• G. A. Swartzlander, “Obtaining spatial information from an extremely unresolved source,” Opt. Lett.36, 4731–4733 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• H. Müller, S.-W. Chiow, Q. Long, C. Vo, and S. Chu, “Active sub-Rayleigh alignment of parallel or antiparallel laser beams,” Opt. Lett.30, 3323–3325 (2005). [CrossRef]
• G. A. Swartzlander, “Peering into darkness with a vortex spatial filter,” Opt. Lett.26, 497–499 (2001). [CrossRef]
• G. Foo, D. M. Palacios, and G. A. Swartzlander, “Optical vortex coronagraph,” Opt. Lett.30, 3308–3310 (2005). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. A

• L. Allen, M. W. Beijersbergen, R. J. C. Spreeuw, and J. P. Woerdman, “Orbital angular momentum of light and the transformation of Laguerre-Gaussian laser modes,” Phys. Rev. A45(11), 8185–8189 (1992). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• F. Tamburini, G. Anzolin, G. Umbriaco, A. Bianchini, and C. Barbieri, “Overcoming the Rayleigh criterion limit with optical vortices,” Phys. Rev. Lett.97(16), 163903 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J. Lee, G. Foo, E. Johnson, and G. A. Swartzlander, “Experimental verification of an optical vortex coronagraph.” Phys. Rev. Lett.97(5), 053901 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Proceedings of SPIE

• E. Mari, F. Tamburini, C. Barbieri, and A. Bianchini, “Fabrication and testing of phase masks for optical vortex coronagraph to observe extrasolar planets,” Proceedings of SPIE7735, 773534 (2010). [CrossRef]

Publ. Astr. Soc. Pacif.

• F. Roddier and C. Roddier, “Stellar coronograph with phase mask,” Publ. Astr. Soc. Pacif.109, 815–820 (1997). [CrossRef]
• D. Rouan, P. Riaud, A. Boccaletti, Y. Clénet, and A. Labeyrie, “The Four-Quadrant Phase-Mask Coronagraph. I. Principle,” Publ. Astr. Soc. Pacif.112, 1479–1486 (2000). [CrossRef]

Other

• E. Hecht, Optics, 4th ed. (Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 2001).
• A. Quirrenbach, “Coronographic Methods for the Detection of Terrestrial Planets,” Arxiv preprint astroph/0502254 (2005).

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