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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive optics | 3/3 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_optics | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T09:46:53.774429+00:00 | kb-cron |
Besides its use for improving nighttime astronomical imaging and retinal imaging, adaptive optics technology has also been used in other settings. Adaptive optics is used for solar astronomy at observatories such as the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope, Dunn Solar Telescope, and Big Bear Solar Observatory. It is also expected to play a military role by allowing ground-based and airborne laser weapons to reach and destroy targets at a distance including satellites in orbit. The Missile Defense Agency Airborne Laser program is the principal example of this. Adaptive optics has been used to enhance the performance of classical
and quantum free-space optical communication systems, and to control the spatial output of optical fibers. Medical applications include imaging of the retina, where it has been combined with optical coherence tomography. Also the development of Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) has enabled correcting for the aberrations of the wavefront that is reflected from the human retina and to take diffraction limited images of the human rods and cones. Adaptive and active optics are also being developed for use in glasses to achieve better than 20/20 vision, initially for military applications. After propagation of a wavefront, parts of it may overlap leading to interference and preventing adaptive optics from correcting it. Propagation of a curved wavefront always leads to amplitude variation. This needs to be considered if a good beam profile is to be achieved in laser applications. In material processing using lasers, adjustments can be made on the fly to allow for variation of focus-depth during piercing for changes in focal length across the working surface. Beam width can also be adjusted to switch between piercing and cutting mode. This eliminates the need for optic of the laser head to be switched, cutting down on overall processing time for more dynamic modifications. Adaptive optics, especially wavefront-coding spatial light modulators, are frequently used in optical trapping applications to multiplex and dynamically reconfigure laser foci that are used to micro-manipulate biological specimens.
== Beam stabilization == A rather simple example is the stabilization of the position and direction of laser beam between modules in a large free space optical communication system. Fourier optics is used to control both direction and position. The actual beam is measured by photo diodes. This signal is fed into analog-to-digital converters and then a microcontroller which runs a PID controller algorithm. The controller then drives digital-to-analog converters which drive stepper motors attached to mirror mounts. If the beam is to be centered onto 4-quadrant diodes, no analog-to-digital converter is needed. Operational amplifiers are sufficient.
== See also == Active optics Adjustable-focus eyeglasses Angular diameter Angular size Atmospheric correction (for satellite imaging of the Earth) Claire Max, adaptive optics pioneer Deformable mirror Greenwood frequency Holography: real-time holography Image stabilization List of telescope parts and construction Nonlinear optics: optical phase conjugation Van Cittert–Zernike theorem#Adaptive optics Wavefront Wavefront sensor William Happer, adaptive optics pioneer
== References ==
== Bibliography == Duffner, Robert W.; Fugate, Robert Q. (2009). The Adaptive Optics Revolution: A History. University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 978-0-8263-4691-9. Thomas H. Rimmele; Jose Marino (2011). "Solar Adaptive Optics". Living Rev. Sol. Phys. 8 (2): 2. Bibcode:2011LRSP....8....2R. doi:10.12942/lrsp-2011-2. PMC 4841189. PMID 27194964. Tyson, Robert (2010). Principles of Adaptive Optics (Third ed.). Taylor & Francis. Bibcode:1991pao..book.....T. ISBN 978-1-4398-0858-0. Roddier, François (November 2004). François Roddier (ed.). Adaptive Optics in Astronomy. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 419. Bibcode:2004aoa..book.....R. ISBN 978-0-521-61214-2.
== External links ==
10th International Workshop on Adaptive Optics for Industry and Medicine, Padova (Italy), 15–19 June 2015 Adaptive Optics Tutorial at CTIO A. Tokovinin Research groups and companies with interests in Adaptive Optics Space-based vs. Ground-based telescopes with Adaptive Optics Ten Years of VLT Adaptive Optics (ESO : ann11078 : 25 November 2011) Center for Adaptive Optics