Optical wavefront sensing system

Claim 2

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 3

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the beam divider means is an "n"-faceted prism.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 in which "n" is at least 4.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the beam divider means is a mask having alternate reflective and transparent surfaces.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 in which the reflectivity and transparency of the surfaces may be varied.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 in which "n" is at least 2.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the nutation of the first beam causes a sinusoidal output signal from the detector elements.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 in which a reference beam is combined with the first beam.

Claim 10

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 11

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 12

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 13

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the energy is substantially in the optical wavelength from infra-red to ultra-violet.

Claim 16

The method of claim 13 including the additional step prior to step (b) of nutating the light beam before it is divided.

Claim 17

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 18

The method of claim 15 including the step of stabilizing the optical beam path using the reference beam.

Claim 19

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 20

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 21

The method of claim 17 in which the correlation comprises multiplying the detected signals in each quadrant by the following set of functions: ______________________________________ for Δx for Δy ______________________________________ Δ.sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sinωt 1 + cosωt Δ.sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = -1 - sinωt 1 - cosωt Δ'.sub.III.sbsb. x,y (t) = -1 + sinωt -1 + cosωt Δ.sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sinωt -1 - cosωt P.sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sinωt 1 + cosωt P.sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sinωt 1 - cosωt P.sub.III.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sinωt 1 - cosωt P.sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sinωt 1 + cosωt; ______________________________________ where Δ.sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = displacement signal of quadrant I Δ.sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = displacement signal of quadrant II Δ.sub.III.sbsb.x,y (t) = displacement signal of quadrant III Δ.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 22

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 23

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 24

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 25

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 26

The apparatus of claim 21 in which a reference beam is combined with said light beam.

Claim 27

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 28

The apparatus of claim 21 in which the optical path is stabilized using the reference beam.

Claim 29

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 30

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 31

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 32

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 33

The apparatus of claim 27 in which the beam dividing means is a prism.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 27 in which the beam dividing means is a mask.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 27 in which the stored algorithm is: ______________________________________ for Δx for Δy ______________________________________ Δ.sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sinωt 1 + cosωt Δ.sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = -1 - sinωt 1 - cosωt Δ'.sub.III.sbsb. x,y (t) = -1 + sinωt -1 + cosωt Δ.sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sinωt -1 - cosωt P.sub.I.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sinωt 1 + cosωt P.sub.II.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 + sinωt 1 - cosωt P.sub.III.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sinωt 1 - cosωt P.sub.IV.sbsb.x,y (t) = 1 - sinωt 1 + cosωt. ______________________________________

Claim 36

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 37

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 38

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 41

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 42

The method of claim 34 in which the optical divider is a prism and the beam is focused onto the apex of the prism.