The combined use of adaptive optics and nonlinear optical wavefront reversal techniques to compensate for turbulent distortions when focusing laser radiation on distant objects

Abstract

Approaches to constructing a mock-up of a system for focusing laser radiation on distant objects using both adaptive optics elements and nonlinear-optical wavefront reversal methods providing compensation for turbulent distortions are considered. Numerical calculations were preliminarily performed, in which the split-step method was used as a numerical method for solving a second-order partial differential wave equation for the complex amplitude of the wave field of a laser beam. This method, combined with methods of spectral-phase Fourier transforms and statistical tests, is the most effective way to obtain reliable quantitative results for solving engineering problems of atmospheric wave optics. Quantitative data are obtained on the effect of turbulent atmospheric distortions along propagation paths on the main parameters of coherent laser beams – focusing, effective average radius, and the proportion of the beam energy in its diffraction spot. The preliminary results obtained of the system mock-up performance confirm the conclusions of the theory.

Keywords

• adaptive optics
• phase conjugation
• wavefront reversal
• wavefront sensor