Performance of centroiding algorithms at low light level conditions in adaptive optics

TL;DR

This paper evaluates and optimizes various centroiding algorithms for Shack Hartmann Sensors under low light conditions, crucial for enhancing adaptive optics performance in photon-starved environments.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of centroiding errors at low photon flux, guiding the optimization of SHS specifications for adaptive optics systems.

Findings

Centroiding errors increase with decreasing photon flux.

Optimal algorithm selection depends on spot size and photon level.

Monte Carlo simulations effectively model low-light centroiding performance.

Abstract

The performance metrics of different centroiding algorithms at low light level conditions were optimized in the case of a Shack Hartmann Sensor (SHS) for efficient performance of the adaptive optics system. For short exposures and low photon flux, the Hartmann spot does not have a Gaussian shape due to the photon noise which follows Poissonian statistics. The centroiding estimation error was calculated at different photon levels in the case of changing spot size and shift in the spot using Monte Carlo simulations. This analysis also proves to be helpful in optimizing the SHS specifications at low light levels.