• Chinese Optics Letters
  • Vol. 6, Issue 9, 625 (2008)
Pu Zhou, Zejin Liu, Xiaojun Xu, Xiaolin Wang, Xiao Li, and Zilun Chen
Author Affiliations
  • College of Optic-Electric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073
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    DOI: 10.3788/COL20080609.0625 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    Pu Zhou, Zejin Liu, Xiaojun Xu, Xiaolin Wang, Xiao Li, Zilun Chen. Influence of turbulent atmosphere on the far-field coherent combined beam quality[J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2008, 6(9): 625 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Propagation of coherent combined laser beams in turbulent atmosphere is numerically studied based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle. By choosing beam propagation factor (BPF) and beam quality factor (BQ) to characterize the far-field irradiance distribution properties, the influence of turbulence on far-field coherent combined beam quality is studied in detail. The investigation reveals that with the coherence length decreasing, the irradiance distribution pattern evolves from typical non-Gaussian shape with multiple side-lobes into Gaussian shape which is seen in the incoherent combining case. In weak turbulent atmosphere, the far-field beam quality suffers less when the laser array gets more compact and operates at a longer wavelength. In strong turbulent atmosphere, the far-field beam quality degrades into the incoherent combining case without any relationship with the fill factor and laser wavelength.
    Pu Zhou, Zejin Liu, Xiaojun Xu, Xiaolin Wang, Xiao Li, Zilun Chen. Influence of turbulent atmosphere on the far-field coherent combined beam quality[J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2008, 6(9): 625
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