Related papers: Adaptive optics with programmable Fourier-based wa…

Laser guide stars (LGSs) have been deployed for the last 20-30 years in ground-based astronomical telescopes to overcome the limited sky coverage of classical adaptive optics (AO) systems. Unfortunately, slow altitude drifts of the sodium…

The upcoming extremely large telescopes will have to deal with the so-called ''pupil fragmentation'' effect: for what concerns the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), the presence of thick spider legs supporting the secondary mirror may induce…

A new wavefront sensing approach, derived from the successful curvature wavefront sensing concept but using a non-linear phase retrieval wavefront reconstruction scheme, is described. The non-linear curvature wavefront sensor (nlCWFS)…

We propose to explore a cascade extreme Adaptive optics (ExAO) approach with a second stage based on a Zernike wavefront sensor (ZWFS) for exoplanet imaging and spectroscopy. Most exoplanet imagers currently use a single-stage ExAO to…

Most adaptive optics (AO) systems using pyramid wavefront sensors (PyWFS) to estimate the phase of the pupil field use mechanical modulation of the beam in order to increase the dynamic range in low-order modes so the PyWFS can usefully…

Extremely Large Telescopes have overwhelmingly opted for the Pyramid wavefront sensor (PyWFS) over the more widely used Shack-Hartmann WaveFront Sensor (SHWFS) to perform their Single Conjugate Adaptive Optics (SCAO) mode. The PyWFS, a…

The success of ground-based instruments for high contrast exoplanet imaging depends on the degree to which adaptive optics (AO) systems can mitigate atmospheric turbulence. While modern AO systems typically suffer from millisecond time lags…

For natural guide start adaptive optics (AO) systems, pyramid wavefront sensors (PWFSs) can provide significant increase in sensitivity over the traditional Shack-Hartmann, but at the cost of a reduced linear range. When using a linear…

Adaptive optics in combination with multi-photon techniques is a powerful approach to image deep into a specimen. Remarkably, virtually all adaptive optics schemes today rely on wavefront modulators which are reflective, diffractive, or…

Context: Telescopes like the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) will be used together with extreme adaptive optics (AO) instruments to directly image Earth-like planets. The AO systems will need to…

Wavefront correction and beam tracking are critical in applications such as long-range imaging through turbulence and free-space optical communication. For instance, adaptive optics systems are employed to correct wavefront distortions…

Spectrometry is a general physical-analysis approach for investigating light-matter interactions. However, the complex designs of existing spectrometers render them resistant to simplification and miniaturization, both of which are vital…

The next generation of large telescopes for direct imaging of exoplanets will require segmented primary mirrors. Over both long and short timescales, these telescopes experience segment misalignments which degrade the final science image.…

Spatial light modulators (SLMs) are the most relevant technology for dynamic wavefront manipulation. They find diverse applications ranging from novel displays to optical and quantum communications. Among commercial SLMs for phase…

In the last two decades many people have been searching for the optimal wavefront sensor as it can boost the performance of high-contrast imagining by orders of magnitude on the ELTs. According classical information theory, the optimal…

Adaptive Optics (AO) is an innovative technique that substantially improves the optical performance of ground-based telescopes. The SOAR Adaptive Module (SAM) is a laser-assisted AO instrument, designed to compensate ground-layer…

MAPS, MMT Adaptive optics exoPlanet characterization System, is the upgrade of legacy 6.5m MMT adaptive optics system. It is an NSF MSIP-funded project that includes (i) refurbishing of the MMT Adaptive Secondary Mirror (ASM), (ii) new high…

Context: Ground-based telescopes are susceptible to seeing, an atmospheric phenomenon that reduces the resolving power of large observatories to that of a home telescope. Compensating these effects is therefore critical to realizing the…

The concept of Wavelength Frame Multiplication (WFM) was developed to extend the usable wavelength range on long pulse neutron sources for instruments using pulse shaping choppers. For some instruments, it is combined with a pulse shaping…

(abridged) Extreme adaptive optics (XAO) encounters severe difficulties to cope with the high speed (>1kHz), high accuracy and high order requirements for future extremely large telescopes. An innovative high order adaptive optics system…