Direct examination of turbulent refractive-index variations along laser beam propagation paths and corresponding optical-wavefront distortions

Roberto C. Aguirre; Jennifer C. Nathman; Philip J. Garcia; Haris J. Catrakis

doi:10.1117/12.617802

31 August 2005 Direct examination of turbulent refractive-index variations along laser beam propagation paths and corresponding optical-wavefront distortions

Roberto C. Aguirre, Jennifer C. Nathman, Philip J. Garcia, Haris J. Catrakis

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5892, Free-Space Laser Communications V; 58920M (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.617802
Event: Optics and Photonics 2005, 2005, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

A combined experimental/computational approach is conducted using a specially-designed laboratory facility and a physical framework based on refractive fluid interfaces in order to enable the direct examination of the turbulent refractive-index field along laser beam propagation paths, as well as of the corresponding optical-wavefront distortions of the propagated beam. The experimental facility utilized is the variable-pressure flow facility at UC Irvine which enables direct imaging of the turbulent refractive-index field at large Reynolds numbers in controlled laboratory flows. Laser-induced fluorescence of acetone vapor seeded in air is utilized to directly image the turbulent refractive-index spatial fluctuations along the beam propagation paths. A custom-built high-resolution Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor is utilized that is useful to measure the optical-wavefront distortions of the propagated optical beam. The flow-imaging measurements, combined with the beam-wavefront data, enable a direct study of the correspondence between the turbulent refractive interfacial-fluid thickness variations and the beam-propagation parameters of interest in free-space laser communications such as the Strehl ratio. Combined with the experiments, computations are also conducted on the flow-imaging data in order to study the structure of the optical beam as it propagates through the measured refractive-index variations. This enables a one-to-one correspondence to be established between the refractive interfacial-fluid thickness variations encountered by the beam and their effect on the distortions of the optical wavefronts, quantified in terms of a cumulative Strehl ratio, along the entire propagation path examined through the flow.

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Roberto C. Aguirre, Jennifer C. Nathman, Philip J. Garcia, and Haris J. Catrakis "Direct examination of turbulent refractive-index variations along laser beam propagation paths and corresponding optical-wavefront distortions", Proc. SPIE 5892, Free-Space Laser Communications V, 58920M (31 August 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.617802

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KEYWORDS

Laser beam propagation

Wave propagation

Interfaces

Wavefronts

Atmospheric propagation

Near field optics

Laser induced fluorescence

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