Scintillation Measurements of Broadband 980nm Laser Light in Clear Air Turbulence

Abstract

Intensity scintillation variances and intensity probability density functions (PDF) were experimentally measured for broad-band (2nm), 980 nm laser light reflected by two corner-cube retro-reflectors as a function of retro-reflector lateral spacing over a short (75 m) atmospheric optical path. The PDFs transitioned from broad double peaked beta shaped densities to log-normal ones as the retro-reflector spacing was increased to exceed the optical field lateral coherence length. Specific spacing for a given average atmospheric refractive index structure constant Cn2 eliminated coherent interference between light beams returned by each retro-reflector.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA465061

Entities

People

  • C. Gilbreath
  • E. Oh
  • F. M. Davidson
  • S. Bucaille

Organizations

  • Johns Hopkins University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmospheric Motion
  • Bandwidth
  • Broadband
  • Clear Air Turbulence
  • Communication Systems
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Diodes
  • Lasers
  • Measurement
  • Optical Communications
  • Optical Lattices
  • Probability
  • Probability Density Functions
  • Quantum Wells
  • Reflectors
  • Scintillation
  • Turbulence

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Spectroscopy.
  • Statistical inference.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Space