Thermal Blooming Effect of Power-Exponent-Phase Vortex Beams Propagating through the Atmosphere

Abstract

The thermal blooming effect of power-exponent-phase vortex (PEPV) beam propagating in the atmosphere is investigated by employing the multiple phase screen method. The influences of propagation distance, topological charge, power exponent, wind speed, and absorption coefficient on thermal blooming effect are analyzed in detail. The results show that (1) the thermal blooming effect exhibits a significant perturbation on the intensity and phase distribution of PEPV beams, with its influence becoming more pronounced as the propagation distance increases; (2) when the power exponent is fixed at 4, comparing the thermal blooming effect of PEPV beams with different topological charges indicates that a PEPV beam with topological charges of 3 is the most sensitive to thermal blooming; (3) when the topological charge is fixed at 3, the thermal blooming effect decreases with the increase in power exponent; and (4) an increase in wind speed or a decrease in absorption coefficient can reduce the thermal blooming effect. The research results obtained in this article have guiding significance for the application of research into high-energy PEPV beams in the atmosphere.

Keywords

• power-exponent-phase vortex beam
• thermal blooming effect
• propagation
• phase screen method