Integrated Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor (DOE.5375)

Adaptive optics deals with real-time correction of the quality of optical systems. Traditionally this technology was used in astronomy for real-time compensation of atmospheric turbulence and by the military for high-resolution imaging such as satellite tracking. Recent progress in the field of wavefront correctors created many new applications for adaptive optics.

Any adaptive optical system consists of three major components:

1. wavefront corrector (for example a deformable mirror),
2. control computer to calculate the control signals and
3. the wavefront sensor.

Micromachined membrane deformable mirrors developed in Delft are used worldwide by re- search and industry. The progress is however restricted due to the lack of an inexpensive wavefront sensor, the cheapest market model has a price of about $25000 and can make one measurement per second, while the estimated requirement for low-cost adaptive optics is $2000 and -1000 measurements per second.

To overcome the price/performance limitation we propose to develop a low-cost CMOS-based high-speed wavefront sensor for application in low-cost adaptive optics.
See also the parallel project DOE.5490.

More information can be found at the website of the optical microsystems group.

Er zijn 7 bedrijven en één andere universiteit bij dit project betrokken.