The Design and Characterisation of an Optical VLSI Processor for Real Time Centroid Detection

Abstract

The integration of photo-detectors onto a standard CMOS integrated circuit is presented. This device provides the optical front end for a real time centroid detection system to be used as part of a larger system for implementing a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. A hardware emulation system containing a Field Programmable Gate Array is used to prototype suitable algorithms prior to IC fabrication. Data is presented on the performance of photodetectors and the ability to extract in real time a centroid coordinate.