Design, fabrication, and characterisation of a 3-baseline integrated optics beam combiner for nulling interferometry with simultaneous fringe tracking using tricouplers

Nulling interferometry has emerged as a promising technique for imaging exoplanets, effectively overcoming the challenges of contrast and angular resolution faced by ground-based telescopes. The Guided Light Interferometric Nulling Technology (GLINT) instrument at the Subaru telescope in Hawaii utilises this technique, where a new integrated optics beam combiner will be deployed, capable of simultaneously performing nulling interferometry and fringe tracking. Fabricated using the femtosecond laser direct write technique in boro-aluminosilicate glass, the beam combiner integrates three single-mode waveguides as inputs to form 3 interferometric baselines. The design, fabrication and laboratory characterisation of the new beam combiner will be presented. The beam combiner comprises of 3D-printed micro lenses, a chrome mask, Y-Junctions, achromatic phase shifters and tricouplers to produce for each baseline an achromatically-nulled and two phase-sensitive bright outputs. This results in a total of 12 outputs that are directed onto a CRED2 camera.