Real-time 1.5 kHz adaptive optical system to correct for atmospheric turbulence.

Abstract

Problems of constructing an adaptive optical system intended for correcting the wavefront of laser radiation that has passed through a turbulent atmosphere are considered. To ensure high-quality wavefront correction, the frequency of the discrete system should be at least 1 kHz or more. This performance can be achieved by using FPGA as the main control element of the system. The results of a laboratory experiments of the laser beam phase fluctuations caused by turbulence, produced by the airflow of a fan heater, correction by means of the FPGA-based adaptive optical system are presented. The system efficiency was evaluated at various correction frequencies up to 1875 Hz.