Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2002-07-10
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
19 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in October 2002 issue of PASP
Scientific paper
10.1086/342764
Laser guide star systems based on Rayleigh scattering require some means to deal with the flash of low altitude laser light that follows immediately after each laser pulse. These systems also need a fast shutter to isolate the high altitude portion of the focused laser beam to make it appear star-like to the wavefront sensor. We describe how these tasks are accomplished with UnISIS, the Rayleigh laser guided adaptive optics system at the Mt. Wilson Observatory 2.5-m telescope. We use several methods: a 10,000 RPM rotating disk, dichroics, a fast sweep and clear mode of the CCD readout electronics on a 10 $\mu$s timescale, and a Pockel's cell shutter system. The Pockel's cell shutter would be conventional in design if the laser light were naturally polarized, but the UnISIS 351 nm laser is unpolarized. So we have designed and put into operation a dual Pockel's cell shutter in a unique bow tie arrangement.
Crawford Samuel L.
Leach Robert W.
Teare Scott W.
Thompson Laird A.
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