Emulation of atmospheric turbulence for image stabilization of laser radiation on the stand of adaptive optical system

Abstract

A description of the stand for an adaptive optics system operating in the mode of emulation of the slopes of the laser radiation wavefront on a turbulent path is given. The potential capabilities of the test bench involve setting the parameters of turbulent distortions characteristic of paths of various lengths, as well as using a piezceramic deflector of wavefront slopes as a source of emulated image distortions in the observation plane. The stand of the adaptive optics system makes it possible to stabilize the jitter of the optical radiation image in the plane of the receiving device with the adaptive correction circuit turned on and off under conditions of various system operation modes.

Efficiency of stabilization of laser radiation on the stand of an adaptive optical system

“…Using the turbulence emulation program [19,20], a set of control signals for the Tip-Tilt mirror [1], simulating tilts, was generated on the stand of the tracking adaptive optical system. A set of control signals for a Tip-Tilt mirror, simulating tilts can also be formed based on the results of track measurements [9,21].…”

Development of an adaptive optical system for stabilizing laser radiation and correcting its turbulent distortions

“…According to the coordinates of the images of the last three frames stored in the shift register of the control unit (9), the control signals are calculated using the Taylor formulas, which then go to the Tip-Tilt mirror (10) of the second loop through the control unit (13). The second branch of the laser beam is reflected from the Tip-Tilt mirror (10), passes through a scaling device (11), representing a lens system and changing the beam diameter, is focused on the control video camera matrix (12), where the current position of the stabilized beam image is recorded in real time.…”

“…We also offer an optical method for emulating atmospheric turbulence. In contrast to the examples of artificially created atmospheric paths presented in papers [8 -10], on the stand of the adaptive optical system [1], it is proposed to apply the method of emulating beam distortions that occur when it propagates in a turbulent atmosphere [12] with the possibility of repeatedly reproducing the specified conditions for the propagation of a laser radiation. In other words, the facility provides for the generation of a laser beam with turbulent distortions of various types with the possibility of programmatic control of the beam parameters, wavefront tilt angle, and local slopes in a wide dynamic range.…”