This is a practical book on wavefront sensing. Emphasis is on principles and techniques, rather than detailed mathematical analysis of such systems. The goal is to provide the reader with a qualitative understanding of wavefront sensor operation.

Adaptive optics systems and components have achieved a level of sophistication and simplicity that goes beyond traditional applications in astronomy and the military and into developments in medicine, manufacturing, and communications. This book was written for those interested in the multidisciplinary technology and those who need a broad-brush explanation without wading through thousands of journal articles. It follows the structure of a one-day tutorial taught by the author, including humor and sidebars of historical material.

The performance of an adaptive optical system is strongly dependent upon correctly measuring the wavefront of the arriving light. The most common wavefront measurement techniques used to date are the shearing interferometer and the Shack-Hartmann sensor. Shack-Hartmann sensors rely on the use of lenslet arrays to sample the aperture appropriately. These have traditionally been constructed using ULM or step and repeat technology, and more recently with binary optics technology. Diffractive optics fabrication methodology can be used to remove some of the limitations of the previous technologies and can allow for low-cost production of sophisticated elements. We have investigated several different specialized wavefront sensor configurations using both Shack-Hartmann and shearing interferometer principles. We have taken advantage of the arbitrary nature of these elements to match pupil shapes of detector and telescope aperture and to introduce magnification between the lenslet array and the detector. We have fabricated elements that facilitate matching the sampling to the current atmospheric conditions. The sensors were designed using a far-field diffraction model and a photolithography layout program. They were fabricated using photolithography and RIE etching. Several different designs will be presented with some experimental results from a small-scale adaptive optics brass-board.

This book addresses some of the issues in visual optics with a functional analysis of ocular aberrations, especially for the purpose of vision correction. The basis is the analytical representation of ocular aberrations with a set of orthonormal polynomials, such as Zernike polynomials or the Fourier series. Although the aim of this book is the application of wavefront optics to laser vision correction, most of the theories discussed are equally applicable to other methods of vision correction, such as contact lenses and intraocular lenses.

Adaptive Optics (AO) is a technique for compensating the distortions introduced by atmospheric turbulence in astronomical imaging. To measure the distortions a wavefront sensor is needed. There are a number of fundamentally different types of wavefront sensors, one of which is the curvature wavefront sensor. At the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Garching, Germany, several adaptive optics systems using curvature wavefront sensors are being developed for the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the VLT interferometer (VLTI). Curvature AO-systems have traditionally used avalanche photodiodes (APDs) as detectors due to strict requirements of very short integration times (200 microsec) and very low readout noise. Advances in charge-coupled device (CCD) technology motivated an investigation of the use of a specially designed CCD as the wavefront sensor detector in a 60-element curvature AO system. A CCD has never been used before as the wavefront sensor in a low light level curvature adaptive optics system. This thesis shows that a CCD can achieve nearly the same performance as APDs at a fraction of the cost and with reduced complexity for high order wavefront correction. Moreover the CCD has higher quantum efficiency and a greater dynamic range than APDs. A readout noise of less than 1.5 electrons at 4000 frames per second was achieved. A back-illuminated thinned version of this CCD can replace APDs as the best detector for high order curvature wavefront sensing. This thesis presents the concept, the design and the evaluation of the CCD. The first frontside devices were successfully evaluated and the performance of the detector was proven in a laboratory experiment.

This volume in the SPIE Tutorial Text series presents a practical approach to optical testing, with emphasis on techniques, procedures, and instrumentation rather than mathematical analysis. The author provides the reader with a basic understanding of the measurements made and the tools used to make those measurements. Detailed information is given on how to measure and characterize imaging systems, perform optical bench measurements to determine first- and third-order properties of optical systems, set up and operate a Fizeau interferometer and evaluate fringe data, conduct beam diagnostics (such as wavefront sensing), and perform radiometric calibrations.

Adaptive optics is set to revolutionise the future of astronomy; this is the first book on the subject and is set to become the standard reference.

Since the publication of the second edition of Principles of Adaptive Optics, the developments and applications in this area have increased tremendously. Observatories are now producing outstanding science through adaptive optics technology; components, such as micromachined deformable mirrors and very low noise detectors, are revolutionizing the f

Leading experts present the latest technology and applications in adaptive optics for vision science Featuring contributions from the foremost researchers in the field, Adaptive Optics for Vision Science is the first book devoted entirely to providing the fundamentals of adaptive optics along with its practical applications in vision science. The material for this book stems from collaborations fostered by the Center for Adaptive Optics, a consortium of more than thirty universities, government laboratories, and corporations. Although the book is written primarily for researchers in vision science and ophthalmology, the field of adaptive optics has strong roots in astronomy. Researchers in both fields share this technology and, for this reason, the book includes chapters by both astronomers and vision scientists. Following the introduction, chapters are divided into the following sections: * Wavefront Measurement and Correction * Retinal Imaging Applications * Vision Correction Applications * Design Examples Readers will discover the remarkable proliferation of new applications of wavefront-related technologies developed for the human eye. For example, the book explores how wavefront sensors offer the promise of a new generation of vision correction methods that can deal with higher order aberrations beyond defocus and astigmatism, and how adaptive optics can produce images of the living retina with unprecedented resolution. An appendix includes the Optical Society of America's Standards for Reporting Optical Aberrations. A glossary of terms and a symbol table are also included. Adaptive Optics for Vision Science arms engineers, scientists, clinicians, and students with the basic concepts, engineering tools, and techniques needed to master adaptive optics applications in vision science and ophthalmology. Moreover, readers will discover the latest thinking and findings from the leading innovators in the field.

This open access book provides a comprehensive overview of the application of the newest laser and microscope/ophthalmoscope technology in the field of high resolution imaging in microscopy and ophthalmology. Starting by describing High-Resolution 3D Light Microscopy with STED and RESOLFT, the book goes on to cover retinal and anterior segment imaging and image-guided treatment and also discusses the development of adaptive optics in vision science and ophthalmology. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the reader will learn about the latest developments and most up to date technology in the field and how these translate to a medical setting. High Resolution Imaging in Microscopy and Ophthalmology – New Frontiers in Biomedical Optics has been written by leading experts in the field and offers insights on engineering, biology, and medicine, thus being a valuable addition for scientists, engineers, and clinicians with technical and medical interest who would like to understand the equipment, the applications and the medical/biological background. Lastly, this book is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Gerhard Zinser, co-founder of Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, a scientist, a husband, a brother, a colleague, and a friend.