Dynamic wavefront correction with a fast liquid-crystal on silicon device of pure phase

Abstract

In order to increase the response speed of the liquid crystal phase modulator (LCPM), a new kind of fast liquid crystal material is designed and synthesized, and a corresponding LCPM, called liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS), is fabricated. We test the phase modulation of the LCOS and examine its wavefront correction ability on static and disturbed wavefront. First, the electro-optical response is tested. The response time to a phase modulation quantity of 780 nm is 2 ms. Second, the phase modulation of the LCOS is tested and linearized. Third, the 3 dB closed-loop and open-loop disturbance rejection bandwidths of the adaptive optics system (AOS) are measured to be 16 and 18 Hz, respectively. Finally, the simulated correction of 26 Hz turbulence with the open-loop AOS is conducted. After correction, the Strehl ratio increases from 0.026 to 0.225. Therefore, with our fabricated LCOS, the liquid crystal AOS is able to correct the turbulence below 30 Hz.