Method for adaptive correction of the phase non-uniformity of a liquid crystal light valve
US5048935A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 24, 1986 |
| Grant date | Sep 17, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 24, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03H2225/32
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus for compensating for inherent distortions in a modified liquid crystal light valve used in an integrated wavefront sensing and wavefront control system for laser optics. A main wavefront sensing and control system utilizes a liquid crystal light valve selected for response speed but having inherent surface non-linearities. A beam from an auxiliary laser is intermittently applied, while the main laser is blocked, to both the fast response LCLV of the main system and to a slower response LCLV of an associated correction system. The second LCLV system corrects for the non-linearities in the surface of the first LCLV and then maintains the stored correction signal for a decay interval which corresponds to several response times of the main LCLV, thus permitting the main LCLV system to perform fast correction of atmospheric aberrations in the laser beam wavefront unaffected by inherent surface non-linearities.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.