Wave characterisation and aberration correction using hybrid direct search

Abstract

Precise beam shaping relies on accurate characterisation of deformations in phase and amplitude of a wave as it propagates. We investigate a process where only a priori information about the relative locations of arbitrary source regions in time are known. We use the correlations between each region to obtain information about amplitude and phase to piece together a wavefunction representing the wave. We demonstrate that this method can be used to characterise a singularity in an initially unknown wavefunction and remove it using a beam shaping device. In contrast to some other techniques that assume point correlations, we can use any set of simple connected shapes as correlation regions. This leads us to believe that it has some use to beam shaping applications in multimode-fibres or in turbid media where singularities are present in the scattered light.