Adaptive optics is a technology of correcting the effect of atmospheric turbulence on images of space objects and on laser beams propagating through random and highly aberrated media such as turbulence, tissue, and the inside of the human eye, to name just a few applications. The course will familiarize the students with theoretical basics of light propagation through random media, principles of wavefront sensing and reconstruction, as well as wavefront correction with deformable mirrors. The students will also receive solid introduction to statistical optics, the Kolmogorov theory of turbulence, practical aspects of turbulence simulation and modelling of adaptive optics.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.12942/lrsp-2011-2

Robert K. Tyson, Principles of Adaptive Optics, CRC Press

Michael C. Roggemann, Byron M. Welsh, Imaging through Turbulence, CRC Press

The first lecture will take place on November 4th 2025.

It is recommended that the students first complete the module Optical Engineering [M-ETIT-100456] (currently offered as "Optical Engineering and Machine Vision") or Fundamentals of Optics and Photonics [M-PHYS-101927] before they enroll for this course.