| Abstract : | Adaptive Optics (AO) test-bench is a laboratory experimental setup, which has been designed and is being tested to evaluate the performance of various elements and sub-systems involved in an AO instrument under laboratory-controlled conditions. The test-bench set up has been designed and the hardware component requirements have been chosen to match the turbulence conditions for the PRL 2.5m telescope at Mt. Abu. The test-bench consists of an indigenously developed hot air-based Optical Turbulence Generator (OTG), which mimics optical turbulence properties of Earth's atmosphere. OTG is currently being characterized for various AO experiments under a variety of simulated atmospheric conditions, such as various temperature gradients, varying wind speeds, etc. The OTG parameters can be controlled through a Raspberry Pi based controller. The OTG is designed to provide a D/r0 ratio in the range of around 20 to 25. Other AO subsystems like wavefront sensor, deformable mirror, tip-tilt mirror, closed loop control system etc. have been integrated in the test-bench and the entire system is being tested for a variety of input conditions. Based on our learnings from the test-bench, a preliminary optical design of an actual AO assisted NIR camera for the 2.5m telescope has been prepared. |
