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Adaptive optics (AO) systems and image reconstruction algorithms are indispensable tools when it comes to high-precision astrometry. In this paper, we analyze the potential of combining both techniques, i.e. by applying image reconstruction…
Accurate measurement of polarization in spectral lines is important for the reliable inference of magnetic fields on the Sun. For ground based observations, polarimetric precision is severely limited by the presence of Earth's atmosphere.…
Direct imaging and spectral characterization of exoplanets using extreme adaptive optics (ExAO) is a key science goal of future extremely large telescopes and space observatories. However, quasi-static wavefront errors will limit the…
We have taken advantage of the implementation of an adaptive optics system on the Themis solar telescope to implement innovative strategies based on an inverse problem formulation for the control loop. Such an approach encompassing the…
Atmospheric turbulence degrades the quality of astronomical observations in ground-based telescopes, leading to distorted and blurry images. Adaptive Optics (AO) systems are designed to counteract these effects, using atmospheric…
The Gemini Planet Imager instrument's adaptive optics (AO) subsystem was designed specifically to facilitate high-contrast imaging. It features several new technologies, including computationally efficient wavefront reconstruction with the…
Images obtained with single-conjugate adaptive optics (AO) show spatial variation of the point spread function (PSF) due to both atmospheric anisoplanatism and instrumental aberrations. The poor knowledge of the PSF across the field of view…
State-of-the-art adaptive optics (AO) systems perform non-linear Fourier-type wavefront sensing for real-time corrections of dynamic wavefront aberrations. This general class of sensors uses a filtering mask in the focal plane that converts…
Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors for both solar and laser guide star adaptive optics (with elongated spots) need to observe extended objects. Correlation techniques have been successfully employed to measure the wavefront gradient in solar…
There are different techniques to sense the wavefront phase-distortions due to atmospheric turbulence. Curvature sensors are practical in their sensitivity being adjustable to the prevailing atmospheric conditions. Even at the best sites,…
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…
The direct imaging and characterization of exoplanets requires extreme adaptive optics (XAO), achieving exquisite wavefront correction (upwards of 90$\%$ Strehl) over a narrow field of view (a few arcseconds). For these XAO systems the…
End-to-end optimization, which simultaneously optimizes optics and algorithms, has emerged as a powerful data-driven method for computational imaging system design. This method achieves joint optimization through backpropagation by…
The petaling effect, induced by pupil fragmentation from the telescope spider, drastically affects the performance of high contrast instruments by inducing core splitting on the PSF. Differential piston/tip/tilt aberrations within each…
Phase imaging techniques extract the optical path-length information of a scene, whereas wavefront sensors provide the shape of an optical wavefront. Since these two applications have different technical requirements, they have developed…
Adaptive optics systems are critical in any application where highly resolved imaging or beam control must be performed through a dynamic medium. Such applications include astronomy and free-space optical communications, where light…
We describe the preliminary optimized layout for a partially optimized concept of an optical-8m class VLT-like 2x2 segmented camera where each channel is assisted by an equivalent of an MCAO system where the ground layer correction is…
The performance of an adaptive optics (AO) system on a 100m diameter ground based telescope working in the visible range of the spectrum is computed using an analytical approach. The target Strehl ratio of 60% is achieved at 0.5um with a…
This paper presents the basic principle and theoretical relationships of an original method allowing to retrieve the Wavefront Errors (WFE) of a ground or space-borne telescope when combining its main pupil with a second, decentered…
Advanced AO systems will likely utilise Pyramid wave-front sensors (PWFS) over the traditional Shack-Hartmann sensor in the quest for increased sensitivity, peak performance and ultimate contrast. Here, we wish to bring knowledge and…