High-speed horizontal-path atmospheric turbulence correction using a large actuator-number MEMS spatial light modulator in an interferometric phase conjugation engine

Journal Article · Thu Mar 04 00:00:00 EST 2004 · Optics Letters, vol. 29, no. 15, September 1, 2004, pp. 1781-1783

OSTI ID:892790

Baker, K; Stappaerts, E; Gavel, D; Wilks, S; Tucker, J; Silva, D; Olsen, J; Olivier, S; Young, P; Kartz, M; Flath, L; Kruelivitch, P; Crawford, J; Azucena, O

Atmospheric propagation results for a high-speed, large-actuator-number, adaptive optics system are presented. The system uses a MEMS-based spatial light modulator correction device with 1024 actuators. Tests over a 1.35 km path achieved correction speeds in excess of 800 Hz and Strehl ratios close to 0.5. The wave-front sensor was based on a quadrature interferometer that directly measures phase. This technique does not require global wave-front reconstruction, making it relatively insensitive to scintillation and phase residues. The results demonstrate the potential of large actuator number MEMS-based spatial light modulators to replace conventional deformable mirrors.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 892790
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JRNL-203988; TRN: US200623%%581
• Journal Information: Optics Letters, vol. 29, no. 15, September 1, 2004, pp. 1781-1783, Journal Name: Optics Letters, vol. 29, no. 15, September 1, 2004, pp. 1781-1783
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACTUATORS
ENGINES
INTERFEROMETERS
MIRRORS
OPTICS
QUADRATURES
RESIDUES
SCINTILLATIONS
TURBULENCE