  Deep J, H, and K' images, recorded with the ALTAIR adaptive optics system and
NIRI imager on Gemini North, are used to probe the stellar content of the disk
and bulge of the Local Group galaxy M31. With FWHM near 0.08 arcsec in K, these
are the highest angular resolution near-infrared images yet obtained of this
galaxy. Four fields that sample M31 at galactocentric radii of 62, 9, 4, and 2
arcmin were observed. The RGB-tip occurs between K = 17.0 and 17.2, and the
color of the RGB in the field closest to the center of M31 is consistent with
that of NGC 6528. After accounting for random photometric errors, the upper RGB
in each field has a width on the (K, J-K) CMD that is consistent with a +/- 0.5
dex dispersion in [Fe/H], in rough agreement with what is seen in other disk
and spheroid fields in M31. A population of very bright red stars, which we
identify as C stars, are seen in the three fields that are closest to the
center of M31. The spatial distribution of these objects suggests that they are
well mixed throughout this part of M31, and so likely did not form in a compact
region near the galactic nucleus, but more probably formed in the inner disk.
We speculate that these C stars may be the most luminous members of the
intermediate age population that has been detected previously in studies of the
integrated spectrum of the central regions of M31.
