The wavefront sensor [WFS] is a key element of an Adaptive Optics [AO] system. It gives access to a direct measurement of the turbulent phase, its curvature or its slope, from which the mirror voltages are computed. The ability of the system to correct efficiently the atmospheric turbulence is strongly dependent on the performance of the WFS in estimating the turbulent phase. The Shack-Hartmann [SH] WFS has been for a long time the standard used in AO systems. In 1996, it has been proposed¹ a new generation WFS, the pyramid WFS. It is a focal plane WFS, based on the principle of a Foucault knife-edge. It has been demonstrated that it provides a consistent gain with respect to the Shack-Hartmann.^2,5-7 More recently, improvements were proposed to increase the pyramid performance.^{3, 4} On the framework of the developpement of extremely large telescopes, the interest of a pyramid wave front sensor appears clearly. But its behaviour with laser guide stars [LGS], most probably necessary in any Extremely Large Telescope [ELT], is still relatively unknown. Some WFS dedicated to LGS wave front sensing has already been proposed^8,9 but a full study of the pyramid WFS behaviour is still necessary. This work's aim is to bring answers to this topic.

Date Published: 28 July 2010
PDF: 5 pages
Proc. SPIE 7736, Adaptive Optics Systems II, 773657 (28 July 2010); doi: 10.1117/12.856720

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7736:
Adaptive Optics Systems II
Brent L. Ellerbroek; Michael Hart; Norbert Hubin; Peter L. Wizinowich, Editor(s)