Extreme adaptive optics system (SAXO) is the heart of the SPHERE instrument which aims at directly detect and characterize giant extra-solar planets from the ground. It should equip one of the four VLT 8-m telescopes at the end of 2010. We present a detailed design and architecture of the SAXO system. We focus on each critical point that has been solved during the preliminary design phase. It concerns the adaptive optics system itself but also the interaction with other SPHERE subsystems (such as coronagraphy) and focal plane instrumentation (dual band imager, integral field spectroscopy and polarimetric imager). Acceptance and integration tests of SAXO are discussed. Finally, detailed performance of the whole system and comparison to the science requirements are provided.

Date Published: 12 July 2008
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 7015, Adaptive Optics Systems, 70151U (12 July 2008); doi: 10.1117/12.790308

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7015:
Adaptive Optics Systems
Norbert Hubin; Claire E. Max; Peter L. Wizinowich, Editor(s)