Open-loop wavefront sensing of multiple laser sources using the geometric wavefront sensor on an optical test-bench

This paper demonstrates the Geometric Wavefront Sensor (WFS)'s capability to estimate wavefronts of multiple sources on a new optical test-bench in open-loop. The linearity response of the Geometric WFS to individual Zernike modes is measured for each source, and converted into calibration gain factors to generate improved estimations of the wavefront phase aberrations. A novel technique to simulate atmospheric turbulence in the laboratory is explored, and is found to suitably create multiple atmospheric layers artificially. This technique permits for wavefront phase aberrations of multiple sources to be simulated simultaneously with varying degrees of overlapping, i.e. changing the height of the atmospheric turbulence layer, without altering the physical optical path. Finally, atmospheric tomography is demonstrated using the novel technique and calibrated Geometric WFS.