Low-latency adaptive optical system processing electronics

摘要

Extensive system modeling and analysis clearly shows that system latency is a primary performance driver in closed loop adaptive optical systems. With careful attention to all sensing, processing, and controlling components, system latency can be significantly reduced. Upgrades to the Starfire Optical Range (SOR) 3.5-meter telescope facility adaptive optical system have resulted in a reduction in overall latency from 660 μsec to 297 μsec. Future efforts will reduce the system latency even more to the 170 μsec range. The changes improve system bandwidth significantly by reducing the "age" of the correction that is applied to the deformable mirror. Latency reductions have been achieved by increasing the pixel readout pattern and rate on the wavefront sensor, utilizing a new high-speed field programmable gate array (FPGA) based wavefront processor, doubling the processing rate of the real-time reconstructor, and streamlining the operation of the deformable mirror drivers.