Real-time wavefront sensor for coherent wavefront characterization

Claim 1

A system for determining the radiation transmission characteristics of a region along a reference axis comprising: A. means for generating a first substantially single frequency radiation beam along a first axis said first radiation beam being characterized by a wavelength λ; B. beamsplitter including means for splitting said first beam into a second beam and a third beam, means for directing said second beam along a second axis, and means for directing said third beam along a third axis, wherein one of said directed second and third beams at least in part propagates through said region; C. a first reflector fixedly positioned along said second axis and including means for reflecting said second beam incident thereon back along said second axis; D. a second reflector positioned along said third axis and including means for reflecting said third beam incident thereon back along said third axis; E. control means for varying the position of said second reflector in a range extending along said third axis between a first reference point and a second reference point on said third axis, wherein said second reference point is spaced apart from said second reference point by λ/2; F. means for establishing a fourth beam and directing said fourth beam along a fourth axis, said fourth beam being a combination of said reflected second and third beams; G. an array of radiation detectors positioned along and extending transverse to said fourth axis and including means responsive to portions of said fourth beam incident thereon for generating intensity signals, each of said intensity signals being representative of the intensity of the portion of said fourth beam incident on an associated detector of said array; H. processing means responsive to said control means and said intensity signals for generating phase profile signals, said processing means including means for identifying the times at which each of said intensity signals substantially has a predetermined value, and generating said phase profile signals to be representative of the position of said second reflector at the respective ones of said identified times, said phase profile signals being representative of the optical phase profile of said reflected second beam at said combining means.

Claim 2

A system for determining the radiation transmission characteristics of a region along a reference axis comprising: A. means for generating a first substantially single frequency radiation beam along a first axis said first radiation beam being characterized by a wavelength λ; B. beamsplitter including means for splitting said first beam into a second beam and a third beam, means for directing said second beam along a second axis, and means for directing said third beam along a third axis, wherein one of said directed second and third beams at least in part propagates through said region; C. a first reflector fixedly positioned along said second axis and including means for reflecting said second beam incident thereon back along said second axis; D. a second reflector positioned along said third axis and including means for reflecting said third beam incident thereon back along said third axis; E. control means for varying the position of said second reflector in a range extending along said third axis between a first reference point and a second reference point on said third axis, wherein said second reference point is spaced apart from said second reference point by λ/2; F. means for establishing a fourth beam and directing said fourth beam along a fourth axis, said fourth beam being a combination of said reflected second and third beams; G. an array of radiation detectors positioned along and extending transverse to said fourth axis and including means responsive to portions of said fourth beam incident thereon for generating intensity signals, each of said intensity signals being representative of the intensity of the portion of said fourth beam incident on an associated detector of said array; H. processing means responsive to said control means and said intensity signals for generating phase profile signals, said processing means including means for identifying the times at which each of said intensity signals substantially has a predetermined value, and generating said phase profile signals to be representative of the position of said second reflector at the respective ones of said identified times, said phase profile signals being representative of the optical phase profile of said reflected second beam at said combining means.