Based on ground station adaptive optics for laser communications demonstration platform structures

Abstract

With the rapid development of modern science and technology in astronomical imaging, optical communications, optical radar, optical information processing, high-precision ranging, tracking, guidance, and remote sensing, light waves propagating in the medium, especially in the turbulent atmosphere spread more and more important. Atmospheric turbulence is one of the main factors which have influence on the performance of a laser communication system. Adaptive optics technology is an important means to solve the problem of atmospheric turbulence. This paper states how adaptive optics technique can be used in space laser communication system to compensate atmospheric turbulence when laser beam transmission through it. The core content of adaptive optics is correct laser beam wave-front disturbance in real-time，with it to enhance optical system imaging quality and the next aim is reach the level of diffraction limitation. Adaptive optics system consists of wave-front detection， wave-front control and wave-front correction . The demo platform including: atmospheric turbulence simulation unit、adaptive correction unit、signal transmitting and receiving unit. Liquid crystal spatial light modulator applications in adaptive optics system and the turbulence simulation system introduced. And used zernike polynomials method to produce atmospheric turbulence phase screen simulation analysis. Simulation results show that: in the low spatial frequency components, the atmospheric turbulence phase screen generated by Zernike polynomial method consistent with the theoretical values, but in the high spatial frequency components, the simulation results with large difference between the theoretical values. In addition, the simulation results also show that: we can change the distribution of turbulence in the atmospheric turbulence phase screen by increasing the Zernike polynomials of orders or change the receiving apertures, but to calculate the large calculate the complex and other shortcomings. If adaptive optics technique can be applied in space laser communication system and is proved by practice， must make a space laser communication system performance has greatly improved.