The MICADO first light imager for the ELT: toward direct imaging of exoplanets and disks with the ELT

Abstract

MICADO, the first-light near-infrared imager for the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), will feature a dedicated high-contrast imaging mode designed specifically for observing and characterizing exoplanets and circumstellar disks. The instrument will deliver substantially higher sensitivity and angular resolution than current instruments such as SPHERE and GPI, positioning it to make major advances in our understanding of planetary systems. MICADO will incorporate a versatile suite of coronagraphic tools, including three classical Lyot coronagraphs, a vector-apodizing phase plate, and two sparse aperture masks. Numerical simulations indicate that MICADO will broaden the accessible parameter space for young, massive exoplanets, enabling detections at smaller orbital separations (a few AU) around nearby stars, as well as around stars in more distant associations (100–150pc). These enhanced capabilities will create strong synergies with Gaia and radial velocity surveys. With its improved resolution and sensitivity, MICADO will also be able to detect fainter and more distant debris disks than those accessible to SPHERE, while also providing more detailed imaging of the nearest disk systems. The instrument will additionally offer a long-slit and integral field spectroscopic modes with a high spectral resolution (R > 15,000), supporting detailed investigations of exoplanet atmospheres. In this work, we describe the current state of development and expected performance of MICADO’s high-contrast mode, highlight key science cases for exoplanet and disk studies, and provide quantitative estimates of MICADO detection limits.