Adaptive optical systems used to date for laser communication applications have been based on adaptive optics technology specifically developed for astronomical imaging, where intensity fluctuations are considerably smaller than those encountered by ground-to-ground (or ground-to-space) lasercom systems. These adaptive optical systems are based on direct wavefront measurements (Hartmann-Shack sensor, shearing interferometers, etc.) and the wavefront conjugation principle. In the presence of strong intensity fluctuations these types of systems perform poorly. Here we propose an optical communication link with an adaptive transmitter based on optimization of a beam quality metric that can be measured using a corner-cube interferometer. This beam quality metric is examined to determine its suitability for use in an adaptive laser communication system.

Date Published: 10 December 1999
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 3866, Optics in Atmospheric Propagation and Adaptive Systems III, (10 December 1999); doi: 10.1117/12.371325

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3866:
Optics in Atmospheric Propagation and Adaptive Systems III
Anton Kohnle; John D. Gonglewski, Editor(s)