Reaching the fundamental sensitivity limit of wavefront sensing on arbitrary apertures with the Phase Induced Amplitude Apodized Zernike Wavefront Sensor (PIAA-ZWFS)

Abstract: In the last two decades many people have been searching for the optimal wavefront sensor as it can boost the performance of high-contrast imagining by orders of magnitude on the ELTs. According classical information theory, the optimal sensitivity of a wavefront sensor is 1/2 radian rms per photon. We show that classical limit is also the quantum metrology limit for starlight, which means that 1/2 radian rms per photon is really the limit. This proceeding introduces the Phase Induced Amplitude Apodized Zernike Wavefront sensor. The PIAA-ZWFS modifies a standard ZWFS with a set of aspheric lenses to increase its sensitivity. The optimized system reaches the fundamental limit for all spatial frequencies >1.7 cycles/pupil and is very close to the limit for the spatial frequencies <1.7 cycles/pupil. The PIAA-ZWFS can be seamlessly integrated with the PIAA-CMC coronagraphy. This makes the PIAA-ZWFS an ideal candidate as wavefront sensor for high-contrast imaging.