Adaptive optics with a new modal decomposition of actuator and sensor spaces

Abstract

This paper introduces a new modal decomposition of actuator and sensor spaces for adaptive optics. The decomposition, which is based on the singular-value decomposition of the "poke matrix," provides orthonormal bases, or modes, for both actuator and sensor spaces. These modes are useful for design of the control loops, as well as for analysis of the wavefront error and the performance of the control loops. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the enhanced performance achieved by augmenting a classical adaptive optics loop with a truly adaptive control loop designed with the new modal decomposition.