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Laser beam self-focusing in the atmosphere
A M Rubenchik1, M P Fedoruk, S K Turitsyn
1Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|August 8, 2009
Summary
Atmospheric self-focusing can deliver powerful laser beams from orbit to Earth. This method reduces laser spot size below diffraction limits without degrading beam quality, easing orbital and ground system requirements.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Optical Engineering
- Atmospheric Science
Background:
- Delivering high-power laser beams from orbit to the ground faces challenges due to atmospheric turbulence and diffraction.
- Existing methods require complex and precise orbital optics and ground receivers to maintain beam quality and focus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of atmospheric self-focusing for enhancing laser beam delivery from orbit.
- To determine if self-focusing can overcome diffraction limits and improve beam quality during atmospheric transmission.
Main Methods:
- Numerical modeling was employed to simulate laser beam propagation through the atmosphere.
- The study focused on scenarios where the self-focusing length is comparable to atmospheric height.
Main Results:
- Numerical simulations demonstrated that atmospheric self-focusing can significantly reduce the laser spot size on the ground, surpassing diffraction limits.
- Beam quality was maintained without degradation.
- Atmospheric density variations were found to suppress beam filamentation and facilitate whole-beam self-focusing.
Conclusions:
- Exploiting atmospheric self-focusing offers a novel approach for efficient laser power transmission from orbit.
- This technique can substantially reduce the stringent requirements for both orbital optical systems and ground-based receiving stations.
