Abstract

The last decades have seen ground-breaking advances in the manipulation of photons: This year’s Nobel Price in Chemistry honors novel procedures that beat the diffraction limit in microscopy. The 2012 Physics Nobel price recognized experimental methods for the manipulation of single quanta – notably quantum non-demolition measurements, the possibility to detect photons without destroying them. Telescopes still rely on classical concepts to optimize the angular resolution: either enlarging telescope apertures or extending long interferometric baselines. Might we – as an alternative – use recent advances in optics in order to overcome the diffraction limit in astronomy? In other words, what are the breakthroughs in optics that will empower tomorrow’s astronomy? The aim is to stimulate a discussion on the possibilities to achieve high angular resolution – and, thus, high contrast – in direct exoplanet imaging.