Laser Collimeter with Phase Conjugation pra-0105

Full Title A Laser Collimator with Phase Conjugation to be Applied in the Compensation of Primary Mirror Distortions for the Testing and Adjustment of Large Optical Systems Tech Area / Field

• PHY-OPL: Physics / Optics and Lasers

Brief Description of Technology The Institute for Laser Physics has accumulated significant experience in the design and realization of laser beams, and possesses unique technologies for laser beam direction by cheap and lightweight beam directors (shaping telescopes), and for the implementation of nonlinear optical techniques for the correction of distortions caused by poor-quality and gravitationally and dynamically loaded optical elements. These technologies comprise: (1) principles and methods for the compensation of distortions in special telescopes (the so-called non-reciprocal or bypass optical scheme), as well as in laser amplifiers and internal optical relays; (2) technologies for phase conjugation and dynamic holography for various lasers, emitting mid-IR (~ 10 mm) to UV wavelength ranges and working in CW, pulsed and pulse-repetitive action modes; (3) technologies for special kinds of optical elements for lasers and laser telescopes.

The feasibility of this method has been demonstrated in theory, numerical simulations, and several experiments. In particular, we have developed telescopes with a diffraction-limited performance at the aperture of a primary mirror, using primary mirrors with diameters of 300 and 400 mm which are comprised of 6 poor-quality and mutually non-adjusted segments.

Various schemes for compensated telescopes have been elaborated, in particular those which provide an extremely low divergence at the system output, and which can in particular be used in the design of laser collimators.

Methods for the numerical design of special lasers and optical imaging systems, laser and laser element technology, special optical components and phase conjugation elements, as well as facilities for telescope testing are at our disposal.

The key problem in laser collimator design is the elaboration of phase conjugation devices of optical quality, which work with an accuracy and fidelity of ~1/20 of radiation wavelength or less. The approaches and methods for the design of such phase conjugation devices are available from the Institute.

Legal Aspects Some of the technical solutions and optical schemes are protected by Authorship Certificates of Soviet Union. No patents.

Special Facilities in Use and Their Specifications Solid-state and gaseous laser setups, facilities for the fabrication of special elements, in particular for the fabrication of phase conjugations of extremely high accuracy and fidelity and with extremely low noise, specialized software complexes for the numerical design of special optical and laser systems.

Scientific Papers 1. A.A. Leshchev, G.A. Pasmanik, V.G. Sidorovich, M.V. Vasil’ev, V.Yu. Venediktov. Izvestiya Academii Nauk SSSR. V.55, 2, pp.260-266, 1991. (In Russian).

2. A.A. Leshchev, M.V. Vasil'ev, V.Yu. Venediktov. The dynamic correction of large-scale optics aberrations. Proceedings SPIE, V.2096, pp.50-54, (1993).