New sensor tackles high-curvature wavefront measurement challenges

Newswise — Accurately measuring the shape of light waves, or wavefronts is crucial in fields ranging from astronomy to medicine. However, conventional sensors often struggle with severely curved surfaces or missing data points. Now, researchers have developed a revolutionary new sensor that overcomes these limitations, paving the way for more precise and versatile wavefront measurements.

Imagine a tool that precisely measures the shape of light waves, even when they bend and twist dramatically. That's the power of the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS), a technology used in everything from astronomy to eye exams. But there's a catch: traditional SHWS struggles with highly curved surfaces, limiting its applications.

The innovative ASM-SHWS changes the game. By employing a clever matching algorithm, it can accurately reconstruct even severely warped wavefronts, overcoming the restrictions of its conventional counterpart. This powerful technique works by intelligently comparing detected light spots across the entire sensor image, eliminating the need for initial guesswork or limitations to local areas.

The benefits of this advancement are significant. ASM-SHWS boasts a dramatically expanded dynamic range, allowing it to handle a wider range of wavefront shapes with superior accuracy. Even when some light spots are missing, the sensor can confidently piece together the missing information thanks to its global matching capability.

In real-world tests, ASM-SHWS showcased its prowess. Numerical simulations revealed its ability to measure wavefronts with slopes exceeding conventional limitations by 24.17. Even with half the spots missing, it accurately matched the remaining spots and reconstructed the wavefront.

Further, a physical prototype successfully measured a high-curvature spherical wavefront, even with a 13.5% spot absence. This achievement surpassed the capabilities of conventional SHWS by a remarkable factor of 14.81.

The implications of this breakthrough are wide-ranging. In astronomy, ASM-SHWS promises sharper views of celestial objects, enabling deeper insights into the cosmos. In medical imaging, it could lead to more precise diagnoses and personalized treatment options. And for ophthalmic diagnostics, it offers the potential for early detection and improved management of eye diseases.

This innovative sensor marks a significant leap forward in wavefront measurement. With its unmatched accuracy and versatility, ASM-SHWS is poised to revolutionize diverse fields, unveiling a clearer picture of the world, one perfectly reconstructed wavefront at a time.

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References

DOI

10.37188/lam.2024.007

Original Source URL

https://www.light-am.com/en/article/doi/10.37188/lam.2024.007

Funding information

This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University 2030 Initiative (No. WH510363001-10), the Oceanic Interdisciplinary Program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (No. SL2022ZD205), the Science Foundation of the Donghai Laboratory (No. DH-2022KF01001), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 62205189).

About Light: Advanced Manufacturing (LAM)

Light: Advanced Manufacturing (LAM) is a new, highly selective, open-access, and free of charge international sister journal of the Nature Journal Light: Science & Applications. The journal aims to publish innovative research in all modern areas of preferred light-based manufacturing, including fundamental and applied research as well as industrial innovations.