OpenWFS—a library for conducting and simulating wavefront shaping experiments

Wavefront shaping (WFS) is a technique for controlling the propagation of light. With applications ranging from microscopy to free-space telecommunication, this research field is expanding rapidly. As the field advances, it stands out that many breakthroughs are driven by the development of better software that incorporates increasingly advanced physical models and algorithms. Typical WFS software involves a complex combination of low-level hardware control, signal processing, calibration, troubleshooting, simulation, and the WFS algorithm itself. This complexity makes it hard to compare different algorithms and to extend existing software with new hardware or algorithms. Moreover, the complexity of the software can be a significant barrier for end users of microscopes to adopt WFS. OpenWFS addresses these challenges by providing a modular Python library that separates hardware control from the WFS algorithm itself. Using these elements, a WFS algorithm can be written in a minimal amount of code, with OpenWFS taking care of low-level hardware control, synchronization, and troubleshooting. Algorithms can be used on different hardware or in a completely simulated environment without changing the code. Moreover, we provide full integration with the Micro-Manager microscope control software, enabling WFS experiments to be executed from a user-friendly graphical user interface.