초록 ▼

A system for producing polychromatic light having selectively shaped wavefronts includes a source for generating light beams of at least two wavelengths (λ1, λ2). The beams are made up of a plurality of contiguous sub-beams that establish λ1 and λ2 wavefronts. From the source, th

A system for producing polychromatic light having selectively shaped wavefronts includes a source for generating light beams of at least two wavelengths (λ1, λ2). The beams are made up of a plurality of contiguous sub-beams that establish λ1 and λ2 wavefronts. From the source, the light is directed toward an optical phase shifting device which can include one or more arrays, with each array having a plurality of elements. Functionally, within a particular array, each element is independently adjustable to selectively alter the optical pathlength of a corresponding sub-beam. For light having two wavelengths (λ1, λ2), a first array configuration is used to reshape the λ1 wavelength light and a second array configuration is used to reshape the λ2 wavelength light. After wavefront reshaping, the λ1 and λ2 wavelength light is directed onto a common beam path where it can be viewed, imaged or further processed.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A system for active wavefront shaping, said system comprising an optical phase shifting device for operating on input light having at least two wavelengths (λ1, λ2), said input light forming at least one beam, with each beam having a plurality of contiguous sub-beam

What is claimed is: 1. A system for active wavefront shaping, said system comprising an optical phase shifting device for operating on input light having at least two wavelengths (λ1, λ2), said input light forming at least one beam, with each beam having a plurality of contiguous sub-beams, said sub-beams establishing a λ1 wavefront and a λ2 wavefront, said device having at least one array of elements, with each element being independently adjustable to selectively alter the optical pathlength of a respective sub-beam to sequentially effectuate a first wavefront reshaping of said λ1 wavelength light and a second wavefront reshaping of said λ2 wavelength light, with said first reshaping being different from said second reshaping, and wherein said device is configured to place the λ1 wavelength light and λ2 wavelength light on a common beam path. 2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein λ1 is blue light in the wavelength range 435-480 nm, λ2 is red light in the wavelength range 605-750 nm, and said input light has light of wavelength λ3, wherein λ3 is green light in the wavelength range 500-560 nm. 3. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said input light includes sequential pulses of said λ1 wavelength light and said λ2 wavelength light. 4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein a said input light is a single beam of light, said beam simultaneously including λ1 wavelength light and λ2 wavelength light and said system includes a splitter for separating said λ1 wavelength light from said λ2 wavelength light. 5. A system as recited in claim 4 wherein said splitter is a filter wheel. 6. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical phase shifting device has a first array of elements for reshaping said λ1 wavelength light and a second array of elements for reshaping said λ2 wavelength light. 7. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a detector positioned on the common beam path to receive the λ1 wavelength light and λ2 wavelength light and wherein said detector is selected from the group of detectors consisting of an eyepiece, a camera and a display. 8. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a wavefront sensor for measuring a λ1 wavefront to produce a sensor output, said sensor output for use in programming said optical phase shifting device to effectuate wavefront reshaping of said λ1 wavelength light. 9. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein said sensor is a Hartmann-Shack sensor. 10. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said array of elements is an active mirror having a plurality of individual facets with each facet being independently moveable along a respective substantially parallel path. 11. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said device includes a foil mirror, and said array of elements is a plurality of actuators for selectively deforming said foil mirror. 12. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said array of elements is a liquid crystal array. 13. A system for active wavefront shaping, said system comprising: a source for generating an input light having at least two wavelengths (λ1, λ2); a splitter for temporarily separating the input light into a first light beam having a first wavelength λ1, and a second light beam having a second wavelength λ2, with each beam having a plurality of contiguous sub-beams, said sub-beams establishing a λ1 wavefront and a λ2 wavefront; an array of elements, with each element being independently adjustable to selectively alter the optical pathlength of a respective sub-beam; and a controller for sequentially configuring said array to reshape the λ1 wavefront and the λ2 wavefront. 14. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein said source emits pulses of λ1 wavelength light at a pulse rate of greater than 50 hertz. 15. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein said splitter is a filter wheel. 16. A system for active wavefront shaping, said system comprising: a source for generating light having a first wavelength λ1, and a second wavelength λ2; a splitter for dividing said light into a first beam having λ1 wavelength light and a second beam having λ2 wavelength light, each said beam having a plurality of contiguous sub-beams with said sub-beams establishing a λ1 wavefront for said first beam and a λ2 wavefront for said second beam; a first array of elements to reshape said first beam, each said element being independently adjustable to selectively alter the optical pathlength of a respective sub-beam in said first beam; a second array of elements to reshape said second beam, each said element being independently adjustable to selectively alter the optical pathlength of a respective sub-beam in said second beam; and an optical combiner for directing said reshaped λ1 wavelength wavefront and said λ2 wavelength wavefront onto a common exit beam path. 17. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein said first array of elements is selected from an element array consisting of an active mirror having a plurality of individual facets with each facet being independently moveable along a respective substantially parallel path, a foil mirror having a plurality of actuators for selectively deforming said foil mirror, and a liquid crystal array. 18. A method for active wavefront shaping, said method comprising the steps of: providing an optical phase shifting device operable on input light of at least two wavelengths (λ1, λ2), said input light forming at least one beam of light, with each beam having a plurality of contiguous sub-beams, said sub-beams establishing a λ1 wavefront and a λ2 wavefront; sequentially presenting said sub-beam with λ1 wavefront and said sub-beam with λ2 wavefront to the optical phase shifting device; independently adjusting the optical phase shifting device to selectively alter the optical pathlength of a respective sub-beam for independently reshaping said λ1 wavefront and said λ2 wavefront; and combining said λ1 wavefront and said λ2 wavefront on a common beam path. 19. A method as recited in claim 18 further comprising the steps of: establishing a base datum for said elements, said base datum corresponding to a plane wavefront; measuring an individual deviation in phase shift for each of said sub-beams relative to corresponding sub-beams in said plane wavefront; and using said measured deviations to adjust each said element to selectively shape said λ1 wavefront and said λ2 wavefront. 20. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein a plurality of elements establish a region and said array includes at least one said region, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of: identifying said region with an integer "n" wherein all of the sub-beams incident on said elements in said "n" region have a respective total phase shift, said total phase shift including said individual phase shift deviation and a same modular phase shift from said plane wavefront, said modular phase shift being equal to nλ1; and compensating for said modular phase shift during said measuring step by subtracting nλ1 from each said total phase shift to obtain said individual phase shift deviation. 21. A method as recited in claim 20 further comprising the steps of: detecting boundary elements in said region wherein all said boundary facets have an (n+1)λ1 modular phase shift with a zero individual phase shift deviation; identifying an "n+1" region adjacent said boundary elements and outside said "n" region wherein all of the sub-beams incident on said elements in said "n+1" region have a respective total phase shift, said total phase shift including said individual phase shift deviation and a same modular phase shift from said plane wavefront, said modular phase shift being equal to (n+1)λ1; and compensating for said modular phase shift during said measuring step by subtracting (n+1)λ1 from each said total phase shift to obtain said individual phase shift deviation. 22. A method as recited in claim 20 further comprising the steps of: detecting boundary elements in said region wherein all said boundary elements have an (n-1)λ1 modular phase shift with a zero individual phase shift deviation; identifying an "n-1" region adjacent said boundary elements and outside said "n" region wherein all of the sub-beams incident on said elements in said "n-1" region have a respective total phase shift, said total phase shift including said individual phase shift deviation and a same modular phase shift from said plane wavefront, said modular phase shift being equal to (n-1)λ1; and compensating for said modular phase shift during said measuring step by subtracting (n-1)λ1 from each said total phase shift to obtain said individual phase shift deviation.