Fast Steering Mirror Implementation for Reduction of Focal-Spot Wander in a Long-Distance Free-Space Communication Link

Abstract

One of the causes of power loss in a free-space optical communication link is beam motion or received spot wander. The power spectrum of the spot motion indicates that most of the frequency content is less than ~500 Hz. A fast steering mirror (FSM) controlled by a position-sensing detector (PSD) has the potential to correct for a significant portion of the focal spot position fluctuations and thus the power loss. A FSM controlled with a Germanium PSD was installed on the receiver at the NRL Chesapeake Bay free-space lasercomm test facility. Results are presented from the initial tests performed using this system to measure and correct for wander of an optical beam propagated across the bay (20 mile round-trip).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA465347

Entities

People

  • C. I. Moore
  • Carmen Jackson
  • H. R. Burris
  • M. A. Davis
  • M. F. Stella
  • M. J. Vilcheck
  • M. R. Suite
  • R. Mahon
  • Williams S. Rabinovich

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Acquisition
  • Angle Of Arrival
  • Atmospheric Motion
  • C Programming Language
  • Computer Programming
  • Control Systems
  • Data Acquisition
  • Detectors
  • Focal Planes
  • Free-Space Optical Communications
  • Frequency
  • Military Research
  • Programming Languages
  • Steering
  • Test Facilities
  • Turbulence

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Optical Fiber Sensing and Electromagnetic Propagation.
  • Robotics and Automation.

Technology Areas

  • Space