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Optimization of the transmitted wavefront for the infrared adaptive optics system

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Abstract

The adaptive optics system for the second-generation Very Large Telescope-interferometer (VLTI) instrument GRAVITY consists of a novel cryogenic near-infrared wavefront sensor to be installed at each of the four unit telescopes of the Very Large Telescope (VLT). Feeding the GRAVITY wavefront sensor with light in the 1.4–2.4 μm band, while suppressing laser light originating from the GRAVITY metrology system requires custom-built optical componets. In this paper, we present the development of a quantitative near-infraredpoint diffraction interferometric characterization technique, which allows measuring the transmitted wavefront error of the silicon entrance windows of the wavefront sensor cryostat. The technique can be readily applied to quantitative phase measurements in the near-infrared regime. Moreover, by employing a slightly off-axis optical setup, the proposed method can optimize the required spatial resolution and enable real time measurement capabilities. The feasibility of the proposed setup is demonstrated, followed by a theoretical analysis and experimental results. Our experimental results show that the phase error repeatability in the nanometer regime can be achieved.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China

    PengQian Yang & JianQiang Zhu

  2. Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany

    PengQian Yang & Stefan Hippler

  3. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    PengQian Yang

Authors
  1. PengQian Yang
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  2. Stefan Hippler
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  3. JianQiang Zhu
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Correspondence to PengQian Yang.

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Yang, P., Hippler, S. & Zhu, J. Optimization of the transmitted wavefront for the infrared adaptive optics system. Sci. China Phys. Mech. Astron. 57, 608–614 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11433-013-5264-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11433-013-5264-5

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