# US 4,399,356 A · Optical wavefront sensing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,399,356 A - Document ID: US4399356A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/226,038 - Filed: 1981-01-19 - Granted: 1983-08-16 - Earliest claimed: 1981-01-19 - Assignees: Adaptive Optics Associates, Inc. - Inventors: Julius M. Feinleib; John K. Bowker; Lawrence E. Schmutz; Steven J. Tubbs; Michael Shao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4399356A ## CPC - G01J 9/00: Measuring optical phase difference (devices or arrangements for controlling the phase of light beams G02F1/01); Determining degree of coherence; Measuring optical wavelength (spectrometry G01J3/00) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract An improved light waveform image sensing system is described. The image wavefront is focused on an image divider and divided into "n"-segments ("n">1) whereupon the "n"-segements are focused on "n"-detector arrays and detected by "S"-detectors ("S">>1) in the "n"-detector arrays. The "S"-detectors may comprise any of the well-known photosensitive elements. A particular useful detector is an electron-beam mode device described in detail herein. The detected signals are combined to produce an electrical signal proportional to the tilt in the wavefront which signal may be used to deform a deformable mirror thereby correcting the image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Wavefront distortion sensing apparatus comprising: (a) focusing means for focusing a first wavefront beam of energy onto a beam divider means; (b) nutating means for nutating said first beam in a predetermined manner; (c) beam divider means located at the focal point of said focusing means, said beam divider means forming "n"-separate beams corresponding to said first beam, where "n" is a number greater than 1; (d) "n"-detector arrays each of which is associated with one of said "n"-separate beams such that energy from each "n"-separate beams impinges on one of each "n"-detector arrays; and (e) "S" detector elements in each array for detecting the amount and distribution of the beam energy at "S" points in the wavefront of energy impinging on each array and wherein "S" is greater than one. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the beam divider means is an "n"-faceted prism. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 in which "n" is at least 4. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the beam divider means is a mask having alternate reflective and transparent surfaces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 in which the reflectivity and transparency of the surfaces may be varied. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 in which "n" is at least 2. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the nutation of the first beam causes a sinusoidal output signal from the detector elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 in which a reference beam is combined with the first beam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 in which the energy detected at the detector elements is combined in accordance with a predetermined formula and is used to correct distortions in the first beam. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 in which the energy detected from the reference by the detector elements is used to stabilize the optical beam path. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 in which the signal generated by nutation is combined with a signal obtained by averaging the detector output signals thereby producing a composite indication of object displacement. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the energy is substantially in the optical wavelength from infra-red to ultra-violet. ### Claim 13 The method of determining wavefront tilt in a light beam by: (a) focusing the light beam onto an optical divider; (b) dividing the beam into "n"-separate beams by said optical divider; (c) focusing the wavefront pupil onto "n"-photodetector arrays where "n">1, each of which is disposed in a plane conjugate to the input pupil of the light beam and each of which comprises "S"-photodetectors, where "S">1; (d) detecting the intensity of light impinging on each "S"-photodetector; and (e) comparing the intensity of corresponding "S"-photodetectors in each "n"-array. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 including the additional step prior to step (b) of nutating the light beam before it is divided. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 including the additional steps of: (f) combining the light beam of step (a) with a modulated reference beam before step b; and (g) after step (d) using the reference beam to calibrate each of the "n"-detector arrays. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 including the step of stabilizing the optical beam path using the reference beam. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 including the step of electronically processing the signal generated in step (e) by correlating said signal with a predetermined function to enhance the signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 in which the correlating signal is used to enhance the signal from a selected feature of an image of an object. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 in which the correlation comprises multiplying the detected signals in each quadrant by the following set of functions: ______________________________________ for .DELTA.x for .DELTA.y ______________________________________ .DELTA..sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sin.omega.t 1 + cos.omega.t .DELTA..sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = -1 - sin.omega.t 1 - cos.omega.t .DELTA.'.sub.III.sbsb. x,y (t) = -1 + sin.omega.t -1 + cos.omega.t .DELTA..sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sin.omega.t -1 - cos.omega.t P.sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sin.omega.t 1 + cos.omega.t P.sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sin.omega.t 1 - cos.omega.t P.sub.III.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sin.omega.t 1 - cos.omega.t P.sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sin.omega.t 1 + cos.omega.t; ______________________________________ where .DELTA..sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = displacement signal of quadrant I .DELTA..sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = displacement signal of quadrant II .DELTA..sub.III.sbsb.x,y (t) = displacement signal of quadrant III .DELTA..sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = displacement signal of quadrant IV P.sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = power normalizing signal of quadrant I P.sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = power normalizing signal of quadrant II P.sub.III.sbsb.x,y (t) = power normalizing signal of quadrant III P.sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = power normalizing signal of quadrant IV. ### Claim 20 An optical system for correcting light beam distortion comprising: (a) focusing means for focusing said light beam at a predetermined point on an optical divider where said beam is divided into "n"-reflected beams, where "n">1; (b) "n"-detector arrays each of which is in the path of one of said "n"-reflected beams each array having "S" subapertures where "S">1; and (c) each array having at least one detector element corresponding to each of the "S" subapertures of the light beam to be corrected; said detector elements being sensitive to the quantity of light impinging thereon. ### Claim 21 Apparatus comprising in combination: (a) imaging means for focusing a light beam of an image of an object onto a beam dividing means whereby the image is divided into "n"-parts, in which "n" is greater than 1; (b) "n"-detector arrays each having "S"-detector elements, where "S" is equal to or greater than 2; (c) one each of said arrays being associated with one each of said "n"-parts such that each of the "n"-parts is detected by a plurality of detector elements; and (d) combining means for combining the signals detected by said "S"-detectors to form an electrical signal proportional to the amount of distortion of said focused image. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 in which a reference beam is combined with said light beam. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 in which the "n" detector arrays include an electron beam-photon coupled device having an image intensifier optically coupled by a fiber optic bundle to a detector array. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 in which the optical path is stabilized using the reference beam. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 in which the beam dividing means comprises a plurality of contiguous faces meeting at a junction and the light beam is focused onto the junction and nutated. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25 in which the beam dividing means is a prism and the light beam is focused onto the apex of the prism. ### Claim 27 Apparatus comprising in combination: (a) imaging means for focusing a light beam of an image of an object onto a beam dividing means whereby the image is divided into "n"-parts, in which "n" is greater than 1; (b) "n"-detector arrays each having "S"-detector elements, where "S" is equal to or greater than 2; (c) one each of said arrays being associated with one each of said "n"-parts such that each of the "n"-parts is detected by at least one detector element in each of the "n"-detector arrays; (d) combining means for combining the signals detected by said "S"-detectors to form an electrical control signal proportional to the amount of distortion of said focused image; (e) nutating means for rotating said light beam about said beam dividing means so that the control signal from the combining means alternates in polarity; (f) processing means for applying a signal proportional to a stored algorithm to said control signal to optimize the signal in accordance with an "a priori" knowledge of a characteristic of the object being imaged. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27 in which the beam dividing means is a prism. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27 in which the beam dividing means is a mask. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27 in which the stored algorithm is: ______________________________________ for .DELTA.x for .DELTA.y ______________________________________ .DELTA..sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sin.omega.t 1 + cos.omega.t .DELTA..sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = -1 - sin.omega.t 1 - cos.omega.t .DELTA.'.sub.III.sbsb. x,y (t) = -1 + sin.omega.t -1 + cos.omega.t .DELTA..sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sin.omega.t -1 - cos.omega.t P.sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sin.omega.t 1 + cos.omega.t P.sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sin.omega.t 1 - cos.omega.t P.sub.III.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sin.omega.t 1 - cos.omega.t P.sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sin.omega.t 1 + cos.omega.t. ______________________________________ ### Claim 31 An optical system for correcting light beam distortion comprising: (a) focusing means for focusing said light beam at a predetermined point on an optical divider where said beam is divided into "n"-reflected beams, where "n">1; (b) "n"-detector arrays each of which is in the path of one of said "n"-reflected beams each array having "S" subapertures where "S">1; and (c) each array having at least one detector element corresponding to each of the "S" subapertures of the light beam to be corrected; said detector elements being sensitive to the quantity of light impinging thereon; (d) the "n"-detector arrays comprising an electron beam mode device having: (i) an area to linear beam converter; (ii) an ellipsoidal mirror for focusing the beam from the converter onto an opaque cathode wherein photoelectrons are generated in response to photons impinging on said cathode; and (iii) a linear self-scanned diode array in the path of said electron beam for converting said photoelectrons into a parallel output signal proportional to the intensity of the original light beam versus time. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31 in which the signals from the array are used to correct the tilt in the beam wavefront caused by distortion. ### Claim 33 The method of determining wavefront tilt in a light beam by: (a) focusing the light beam onto an optical divider; (b) dividing the beam into "n"-separate beams by said optical divider; (c) focusing the wavefront pupil onto "n"-photodetector arrays where "n">1, each of which is disposed in a plane conjugate to the input pupil of the light beam and each of which comprises "S"-photodetectors, where "S">1; (d) detecting the intensity of light impinging on each "S"-photodetector; and (e) comparing the intensity of corresponding "S"-photodetectors in at least two of the "n"-arrays. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33 in which the optical divider has a plurality of contiguous faces meeting at a junction and the light beam is focused on the junction and nutated. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 in which the optical divider is a prism and the beam is focused onto the apex of the prism.