| Detailed
Product Description
Our
WaveScope® wavefront sensor performs the same measurements
traditionally made by beam profilers and interferometers.
Unlike interferometers however, WaveScope does not require
a coherent monochromatic light source and is vibration
insensitive. The system calculates all common optical
parameters using powerful proprietary software. Since
WaveScope needs no internal light source, it can directly
measure the characteristics of your laser, light source
or optical system.
How
it Works
WaveScope
uses a modified Shack-Hartmann technique to measure the
gradient of a wavefront.
A
two-dimensional lens array divides the incoming wavefront
into an array of spatial samples called subapertures.
Light from these subapertures is brought to a focus behind
the array on a CCD camera.
The lateral position of the focus spots depends on the
local tilt of the wavefront.
A
change in the gradient of the wavefront across a subaperture,
will produce a shift in the position of the spots. By
measuring the shift of the spots, the gradient of the
incoming wavefront can be calculated.
In
a conventional Shack-Hartmann sensor, when the local tilt
is large enough to move the focus spot into the field
of the next subaperture, an ambiguity arises as to the
origin of the spot. This severely limits the dynamic range
of the measurement.
Large
Dynamic Range
WaveScope
resolves this ambiguity by moving the camera to trace
the path of the spots during calibration. This is how
WaveScope measures aberrations of many hundreds of waves
with fractional wave accuracy. Additionally, the ability
to move the camera allows imaging of the entrance pupil
at the lenslet array, providing an invaluable aid in alignment.
Note: This feature is not available in the CUFS-mini
WaveScope's
dynamic range can be tailored to your requirements as
it is unique in its ability to accommodate aberrations
of many hundreds of waves peak to valley (P-V), that are
normally outside the range of interferometers and other
wavefront sensors.
Analysis
Software
A
flexible, user extensible set of software
tools has been designed for the efficient reduction and
analysis of wavefront and image data. Written in the Tk/Tcl
scripting language, a unified Hartmann data reduction
package is presented in a user friendly graphical user
interface (GUI). Virtually any type of sensor data may
be reduced and analyzed to yield OPD, PSF, MTF and most
other commonly used quantities.
Applications
WaveScope's
large dynamic range allows measurements of diverse optical
systems, from high quality astronomical mirrors to consumer
optics and precision metal or ceramic components. In quality
and process control situations you can use signals derived
from WaveScope to control manufacturing processes.
Adaptive
Optics
WaveScope
can also form the heart of an adaptive optics system.
With the addition of simple fore-optics, the wavefront
at any pupil within an optical train can be measured.
Collimated and point source laser diode references are
available as options.
Proven
Performance
The
WaveScope product line has been developed from AOA wavefront
sensors that have been used by some of the world's most
prestigious research institutions and optical companies
including: the US Air Force; French Atomic Energy Commission;
Japanese Atomic Energy Research Institute; Japanese Central
Research Laboratories; Contraves, Inc. and NASA.
NASA
An
AOA wavefront sensor helped repair the Hubble Space Telescope
(HST) by verifying the performance of the corrective optics.
Today NASA continues to use our system in its benchmark
tests of optical systems for HST.
WaveScope
System Diagram
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