Adaptive Phase Correction of Vortex Laser Beams in Turbulent Atmosphere

• Published in: Bulletin of the Lebedev Physics Institute 2023-09, Vol.50 (Suppl 4), p.S486-S493
• Main Authors: Konyaev, P. A., Lukin, V. P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Angular momentum; Atmospheric turbulence; Computer simulation; Conjugation; Electron beams; Gaussian beams (optics); Inhomogeneous media; Laser beams; Phase conjugation; Phase distortion; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Turbulent flow; Wave equations; Wave propagation
• ISSN: 1068-3356; 1934-838X
• DOI: 10.3103/S1068335623160066

The possibility of correcting the amplitude–phase distortions of Laguerre–Gauss laser beams on atmospheric paths is investigated using computer simulation. The adaptive correction scheme is used based on the principle of phase conjugation of the reference wave from an auxiliary coherent source. The propagation of beams in a randomly heterogeneous medium with a power-law spatial spectrum typical of atmospheric turbulence is simulated by solving numerically of the inhomogeneous parabolic wave equation. The scalar wave equation is solved by the Fourier splitting method using the parallel architecture algorithms. The effect of atmospheric turbulence on orbital angular momentum fluctuations of the Laguerre–Gauss vortex beams is considered; the possibility of correction of these fluctuations is proved theoretically, and its efficiency is estimated using an adaptive optical phase conjugation system. The role of Academician Basov in the organization of systematic study of propagation of coherent optical waves in the atmosphere as a randomly inhomogeneous medium is indicated.