Patent · US Expired

Dual sensor atmospheric correction system

US6163381A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
5References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 24, 1999
Grant dateDec 19, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 24, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01J9/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A dual sensor wavefront correction system is adaptable to correcting wavefronts including wavefronts that are severely scintillated. The system includes a Hartmann wavefront sensor as well as a unit shear lateral shearing interferometer (LSI) wavefront sensor. The optical output signals from the Hartmann wavefront sensor are applied to a real reconstructor which provides an estimation of the distortion in the wavefront during most conditions except for conditions of severe turbulence. In order to provide compensation for the phase discontinuities in a scintillated wavefront, a unit shear lateral shearing interferometer (LSI) wavefront sensor is provided. The optical output signals from the unit shear LSI wavefront sensor are processed by a complex reconstructor in order to provide relatively accurate estimates of the tilt signals at the discontinuities. The output of the real reconstructor and the complex reconstructor are combined in a synergistic manner to provide a composite correction signal to the actuators of a deformable mirror. As such, the wavefront correction system has a relatively wide dynamic range and is not blind to discontinuities in the wavefronts as a result of tu…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.