Wavefront correction by a low-cost deformable mirror group in a small-aperture-beam fiber laser

Abstract

A low-cost deformable mirror (DM) group for wavefront correction in a small-aperture-beam fiber laser is reported in this paper. The DM group consists of nine single-actuator DMs and could act as a "virtual" 9-actuator DM arranged in a 3×3 array. The equivalent distance between two adjacent actuators could reach as small as 3 mm, which can lead to a relatively high lateral resolution. Reflection mirrors in the DM group can be individually polished and high-damage-threshold coated. The unique manufacture flexibility will ensure the particularly low cost of the DM group. In this paper, a detailed configuration of the DM group and its application in small-aperture-beam fiber lasers are presented. Theoretic simulations and experimental results successfully demonstrate its capability in wavefront aberration correction for a small-aperture-beam fiber laser.

Calculating the area of a particular deformation region of an optical surface based on the finite element method

“…One way to solve the problem of deformation of optical elements is to propose appropriate methods to reduce or compensate the deformation based on an examination of the deformed optical surface. The deformed optical surface is usually simulated using finite element calculation [5,6] or measured using an interferometer [7][8][9], and the deformed optical surface is described based on the results of the calculation or the measurement. The methods used to describe the deformed surface vary depending on the optical requirements.…”