Influence of atmospheric phase compensation on optical heterodyne power measurements.
The simulation of beam propagation is used to examine the uncertainty inherent to the process of optical power measurement with a practical heterodyne receiver because of the presence of refractive turbulence. Phase-compensated heterodyne receivers offer the potential for overcoming the limitations imposed by the atmosphere by the partial correction of turbulence-induced wave-front phase aberrations. However, wave-front amplitude fluctuations can limit the compensation process and diminish the achievable heterodyne performance.
Department of Signal Theory and Communications, Technical University of Catalonia, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. belmonte@tsc.upc.edu
Aniceto
A
Belmonte
D001272:Atmosphere; D055095:Optics and Photonics