High-contrast astronomical imaging has progressed significantly in
the past decade. Many of these techniques have been laboratory
demonstrated to perform at contrast levels adequate for the
detection of Solar System-like planets and dust around nearby
stars. None of them, however, have been demonstrated in space. The
state of the art in high-contrast imaging systems that have been
built for space-based observation, the environment best suited for
spectroscopic study of exo-Earths, is the nulling interferometer
that was flown on the Planetary Imaging Concept Testbed Using a
Rocket Experiment (PICTURE). The PICTURE nulling interferometer,
built from multiple optical elements, relies on the incorporation
of additional dispersive components in order to deliver the
broadband performance preferred for faint object imaging. These
elements add to the cost, complexity, and misalignment risk of the
instrument. The Monolithic Achromatic Nulling Interference
Coronagraph (MANIC) Brian Hicks describe in this thesis the first
optic of its kind. He has taken the multiple optical element
concept described in earlier works from theory to a flyable
monolithic optic. Brian has advanced the state of the art in
nulling interferometers by improving optical stability and
robustness. Following application of the fabrication method
described in this work, the design of MANIC also allows for broader
band performance at higher contrast than that achieved with the
PICTURE nulling interferometer.
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