Measurement of wavefront distortions by the method of aperture sounding with spatially separated channels

Features of the formation of signals in wavefront sensors with the single-frequency light wave phase modulation and spatial separation of control channels are considered. Analysis is performed for sensors in which phase modulation is governed by a controlled element located in the pupil of the optical system of a sensor or in the focal plane of the objective of this system. Peculiarities of the signal formation for a tilted wavefront are considered separately for internal points of the exit pupil in the case of light wave phase modulation in the pupil. It is shown that a signal at the modulation frequency in these wavefront sensors for points located far from the pupil boundaries is determined by the wavefront curvature.