The Adaptive Optics Group
Welcome to the Adaptive Optics World
We research and develop adaptive optics systems which are designed to compensate abberations in optical measurements. Adaptive optics has many applications in astronomy, industry and optical communication. In astronomy, distant luminous objects emit light which is then radiated out as it travels toward Earth, laterally stretching the light wavefronts and making them planar and ideal for detection, however when they hit the earths atmosphere the turbulent air and temperature gradients cause the wavefronts to distort. Removing the Earths atmosphere would eliminate the abberations, however Adaptive Optics can compensate for these distortions, making the wavefronts planar again, so we can all breath easy. This requires two main areas to be addressed,
1. The measurement of wavefront shape, to determine the abberations present.
2. The correction of the distortions.
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Here is a simple schematic of a standard adaptive optics system.
Adaptive Optics System
Have a look around our friendly website, we have included a new research report called "Atmospheric Aberration Measurement". It shows real-time wavefront aberration by the atmosphere (or by the pigeons). A laser beam was shone across between the Physics and the Engineering building! Just above Symonds Street, can you see it? Check it out!
Have you seen our "Multi-Segment Mirror"? Do you want to know what it is used for? Find out!
See how we measure wavefronts formed in white light with a "Radial Shearing Interferometer"
"Real-Time Aberration Correction" is on the web! Don't miss it!
More interested links will be included in this page as well. Check back later!
