Cool Stars 14 - Submitted Abstract # 32
This version created on 05 October 2006

3D Vector Optical Modeling for TPF Coronagraph


Richard Lyon, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Robert Woodruff, Lockheed Martin
Ron Shiri, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

The TPF coronagraph has primarily been modeled with scalar diffraction
theory treating coronagraphic occulters as planer 2D masks and making
the standard scalar assumptions.  We have developed an alternative
approach which treats the electromagnetic field rigorously - ensuring
at each step in the propagation that the field divergence is zero, and
treating all occulters, apertures and Lyot stops as 3D objects with
real and imaginary components to the permittivity.  We have performed
propagations in 3D, using a large Beowulf cluster, and will show
results and discuss the differences between the vector and scalar
theory and the tantalizing possibility of designing more optimal
occulters in 3D.

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