A three-telescope active integrated optics spectro-interferometric combiner in the L-Band for application to high precision interferometry

The astronomical L band is particularly well suited for the hunt of low mass companions and the study of planet forming discs. In this paper, we present the concept of a spectro-interferometer with application to high precision interferometry, in projects such as Hi-5: a high-contrast thermal near-infrared imager for the VLTI. The interest of our system is that it allows, for the first time, spectro-interferometry in the mid-infrared (L-Band), in an integrated optic device, with a resolution of R=2000 in a 500 m long sampling zone. Fringe scan and photometry balancing are achieved on-chip, using an external applied voltage. This kind of devices has already been used for high contrast interferometry (36dB rejection ratio) and spectrometry, and first developments have been achieved in passive spectro-interferometers. This first demonstrator is a key milestone towards an interferometric nulling combiner dedicated to high contrast observations