Image plane filters and adaptive optical systems

Shack-Hartmann sensors are the most commonly used wavefront sensors in adaptive optics applications today. There are problems when using Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors in the presence of strong scintillation. This dissertation investigates the use of focal plane filters as wavefront sensors in adaptive optics systems. Both simulation and experiment are used to explore the characteristics of focal plane filter wavefront sensors, the conclusion being that they are a viable alternative to Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors.