Abstract
This paper describes the basic control characteristics of a multidither adaptive optical system using a new type of segmented deformable mirror and a newly developed control algorithm. Fairly stable operation of the optical system has been obtained successfully, and CO2 laser beam distortion induced by a static aberrator has been corrected automatically. Experimental results are: (1) A phase compensation accuracy of 1/19 wavelength was obtained; (2) The shortest phase reconstruction time of 830 ms was obtained with an S/N ratio of>10; (3) The laser peak intensity at a focal point was improved by a factor of 3.5, which was almost the same value as that of theoretical limit; and (4) A compensation experiment for a static aberrator showed that the phase-error is corrected with a high strehl ratio of about 100%.
