Deformable mirror calibration for adaptive optics systems

Anand Sivaramakrishnan; Ben R. Oppenheimer

doi:10.1117/12.321670

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11 September 1998 Deformable mirror calibration for adaptive optics systems

Anand Sivaramakrishnan, Ben R. Oppenheimer

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Proceedings Volume 3353, Adaptive Optical System Technologies; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.321670
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 1998, Kona, HI, United States

Abstract

We present a rapid technique for the simultaneous calibration and flattening of a deformable mirror in an adaptive optics system. We achieve an rms surface figure equivalent to better than (lambda) /100 in the K band in our first application of the scheme. The technique requires the presented of a phase shifting interferometer within the adaptive optics system. Measurements of the mirror surface are made while each mirror actuator's gain is estimated, in a stable, system. Measurements of the mirror surface are made while each mirror actuator's gain is estimated, in a stable, iterative, convergent sequence. Knowledge of the mirror responses function to single actuator activation is not needed. The iterative process ends when the mirror surface reaches some preset desired flatness, which can be specified by the rms deviation of the surface. An overall scale correction to the gains is measured and applied after the iterations converge. Our technique uses the mirror under conditions similar to those present when the adaptive optics system is running. This technique provides the user the ability to calibrate the mirror in a matter of a minute or two, enabling re-calibration of the actuator gains may times during a night with minimal impact on observing duty cycle, in order to adapt to changing conditions.

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Anand Sivaramakrishnan and Ben R. Oppenheimer "Deformable mirror calibration for adaptive optics systems", Proc. SPIE 3353, Adaptive Optical System Technologies, (11 September 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.321670

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