Phase diversity as an on-line wavefront sensor: experimental results

We present the preliminary results of a laboratory experiment using phase diversity as a wavefront sensor. Computer simulations of this experiment were also performed. The phase diversity algorithm used the ordinary finite-difference method to solve the transport equation of intensity and phase. This method of phase diversity retrieves the phase directly and may prove to be useful for low light level applications and for extended objects. This entertains the possibility of using phase diversity as an on-line wavefront sensor for adaptive optics.