Direct imaging of exoplanets is an extremely difficult task limited by distortions caused by both the atmosphere and telescope optics. Current extreme adaptive optics systems (XAO) can correct...Show moreDirect imaging of exoplanets is an extremely difficult task limited by distortions caused by both the atmosphere and telescope optics. Current extreme adaptive optics systems (XAO) can correct these distortions, but require precise wavefront measurements. The Zernike wavefront sensor was developed to do this. The new vector-Zernike wavefront sensor (vZWFS), built using liquid crystal technology, is a promising improvement over the old Zernike wavefront sensor. In this thesis we test a vZWFS prototype and compare its response with the results of a model written in Python. In the experiment we introduce phase aberrations through a spatial light modulator, which are then measured by the vZWFS. We model part of the physical setup and use it to interpret the physical measurements. We create a method to reconstruct the phase and amplitude of the original wavefront, and test the limitations of the vZWFS.Show less
This thesis paper reports on the development of the Generalised Optical DifferentiationWavefront Sensor (g-ODWFS), a newly introduced wavefront sensor that relies on the polarisation of light to...Show moreThis thesis paper reports on the development of the Generalised Optical DifferentiationWavefront Sensor (g-ODWFS), a newly introduced wavefront sensor that relies on the polarisation of light to measure phase slopes and that may be well suited for applications such as high-contrast imaging. The wavefront sensor has been simulated through a computer model and its (broadband) performance has been analysed on the basis of sensitivity and dynamic range. Furthermore, a g-ODWFS prototype was designed, which has been successfully integrated in a high-speed closed-loop adaptive optics system in the lab.Show less
