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09:17
Experimental Investigation of the Flow Structure over a Delta Wing Via Flow Visualization Methods
Published on: April 23, 2018
Propagation of vector vortex beams through a turbulent atmosphere
Wen Cheng1, Joseph W Haus, Qiwen Zhan
1Electro-Optics Graduate Program, University of Dayton 300 College Park, Dayton, Ohio, 45469-0245, USA.
Optics Express
|November 13, 2009
Summary
Vector vortex beams significantly reduce atmospheric turbulence effects compared to scalar vortex beams. This makes them promising for robust, long-distance free-space optical communication.
Area of Science:
- Optical physics
- Atmospheric optics
- Free-space optical communication
Background:
- Atmospheric turbulence degrades the quality of propagating optical beams, impacting communication systems.
- Vector vortex beams possess unique polarization and phase structures that may offer resilience to such degradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To numerically investigate the propagation characteristics of vector vortex beams in atmospheric turbulence.
- To compare their performance against Gaussian and scalar vortex beams under identical conditions.
Main Methods:
- Numerical simulations were employed to model beam propagation.
- Key parameters analyzed include irradiance patterns, degree of polarization, and scintillation index.
- Comparisons were made for weak and strong turbulence scenarios over various distances.
Main Results:
- Vector vortex beams exhibited substantially lower scintillation compared to scalar vortex beams.
- The unique characteristics of vector vortex beams remained identifiable at longer propagation distances.
- Degradation effects were less pronounced for vector vortex beams than for scalar counterparts.
Conclusions:
- Vector vortex beams demonstrate superior performance in mitigating atmospheric turbulence effects.
- Their robustness suggests significant potential for enhancing the reliability and range of free-space optical communication.
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