Adaptive optics system simulator

Abstract

In this paper we present the development of a computational tool that simulates the behavior of the basic devices in an adaptive optics system. These elements are a deformable mirror, a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor and a basic control system. To represent the wavefront and the deformable mirror surface, Zernike polynomials and Gaussian profiles as influence functions, respectively, were used. The Shack-Hartmann sensor was represented by a lenslet array and the irradiance pattern was obtained using the Fourier Optics theory. The developed programs enable calculation of the reconstruction and influence matrices, as well as estimation of the Zernike coefficients and vector voltages required for the actuators of the deformable mirror. In the programs the user can change the number of lenslets in the Shack Hartmann sensor as well as the number of actuators in the deformable mirror. This simulation system can be used as support tool with a real system or alone to improve the understanding of the elements in the Adaptive Optics system when there is no access to an experimental setup.