New method to achieve the proper polarization state for a vector vortex coronagraph

Abstract: The vector vortex coronagraph (VVC) performance in the laboratory and in ground-based observatories has earned it a spot on the NASA mission concepts HabEx and LUVOIR. The VVC induces a phase ramp through the manipulation of the polarization state. Left- and right-circular polarizations get imprinted a phase ramp of opposite signs, which prevents model-based focal plane wavefront sensing and control strategies in natural light. We thus have to work with a polarization state than ensures circularly polarized light at the VVC mask. However, achieving this polarization state can be non trivial if there are optics that add phase retardance of any kind between the circular polarizer and the focal plane mask. Here we present the method currently used at the Caltech high contrast spectroscopy testbed (HCST) to achieve the proper circular polarization state for a VVC, which only uses the deformable mirror and appropriate rotation of the circular polarizer and analyzer optics. At HCST we achieve raw contrast levels of \tentoe~for broadband light with a VVC.