Patent ID: 8132913

Claim:
An adaptive optics apparatus comprising: a first conversion unit configured to convert a polarization direction of a first of two different polarization components of light to a polarization direction of a second of the two polarization components, the light being emitted by a light source; and a spatial light modulation unit configured to modulate the phases of the first and second polarization components of light, the first polarization component having been converted by the first conversion unit and the modulation being in the polarization direction corresponding to the polarization direction of the converted first polarization component; a second conversion unit configured to convert the polarization direction of at least one of the first and second polarization components of the light once modulated by the light modulation unit to re-create light with polarization directions that intersect with each other; and an irradiation unit configured to irradiate an object with the light that has intersecting polarization directions.