Use Of Adaptive Optics Element For Wavefront Error Correction In The Gemini CO[sub]2[/sub] Laser Fusion System

V. K. Viswanathan; J. V. Parker; T. A. Nussmier; C. J. Swigert; W. King; A. S. Lau; K. Price

doi:10.1117/12.957750

13 November 1980 Use Of Adaptive Optics Element For Wavefront Error Correction In The Gemini CO₂ Laser Fusion System

V. K. Viswanathan, J. V. Parker, T. A. Nussmier, C. J. Swigert, W. King, A. S. Lau, K. Price

Proceedings Volume 0190, Los Alamos Conference on Optics 1979; (1980) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.957750
Event: Los Alamos Conference on Optics '79, 1979, Los Alamos, United States

Abstract

The Gemini two beam CO2 laser fusion system incorporates a complex optical system with nearly 100 surfaces per beam, associated with the generation, transport and focusing of CO2 laser beams for irradiating laser fusion targets. Even though the system is nominally diffraction limited, in practice the departure from the ideal situation drops the Strehl ratio to 0.24. This departure is caused mostly by the imperfections in the large (34 cm optical clear aperture diameter) state-of-the-art components like the sodium chloride windows and micromachined mirrors. While the smaller optical components also contribute to this degradation, the various possible misalignments and nonlinear effects are considered to contribute very little to it. Analysis indicates that removing the static or quasi-static errors can dramatically improve the Strehl ratio. A deformable mirror which can comfortably achieve the design goal Strehl ratio of ≥ 0.7 is described, along with the various system trade-offs in the design of the mirror and the control system.

Citation Download Citation

V. K. Viswanathan, J. V. Parker, T. A. Nussmier, C. J. Swigert, W. King, A. S. Lau, and K. Price "Use Of Adaptive Optics Element For Wavefront Error Correction In The Gemini CO₂ Laser Fusion System", Proc. SPIE 0190, Los Alamos Conference on Optics 1979, (13 November 1980); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.957750

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