High-precision calculation and experiments on the thermal blooming of high-energy lasers

Abstract

Thermal blooming (TB) is one of the important factors affecting the quality of high-energy laser beams. Reasonable simulation of thermal blooming is important to the application of a high-energy laser. However, reported investigations on TB simulation are mainly based on one method, such as the perturbation method or the phase screen method, which often leads to obvious errors in some conditions. In the paper, the reasonable ranges of optical generalized distortion parameters for both methods are determined based on the reported experimental data, which solves the problem of accurate TB simulations for the first time. In addition, the dynamic effect of thermal blooming is also calculated. Finally, the formula method is presented to extract the phase of thermal blooming distortion. We then use LC-SLM (Liquid crystal spatial light modulator) to emulate thermal blooming effect in the lab. The experimental results are more consistent with the numerical simulation results than conventional phase extraction methods. Our work provides a quantitatively and programmable way to accurately simulate TB with LC-SLM in the lab.

Design and implementation of laser atmospheric transmission digital twin software system

“…The power density of the laser transmitted to the target decreases, which seriously restricts the application performance of advanced laser systems. The atmospheric state varies significantly with different geographical and climatic conditions and in different seasons [9,10] . In addition, advanced laser systems are very sophisticated and expensive, and some optoelectronic devices are fragile and environmentally sensitive.…”

Thermal Blooming Effect of Power-Exponent-Phase Vortex Beams Propagating through the Atmosphere

“…High-energy laser beams are frequently indispensable in domains such as optical detection and national defense applications, necessitating their transmission through media like the atmosphere during the application process. In recent years, the propagation of highenergy laser beams in the atmosphere has become a hot research topic [1][2][3]. Researchers have conducted extensive and in-depth explorations into the behavior and effects of highenergy lasers in the atmosphere, aiming to reveal their physical properties, influencing factors, and potential application prospects.…”