Performance Measurements of a Self-Referencing Interferometer Wavefront Sensor with Optical Amplification (Preprint)
Abstract
The Self-referencing Interferometer Wavefront Sensor (SRI WFS) has been shown to outperform conventional wavefront sensors in strong scintillation environments. Recently, the Starfire Optical Range has developed a prototype SRI to evaluate its performance. This paper discusses the purposes of optically amplifying the reference beam. Specifically, it addresses regions of operation where gain improves signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values, and thus the SRI WFS performance. Conditions are also addresses when Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) from the optical amplifier degrades the overall signal, resulting in less than acceptable SNR ratios. Laboratory measurements of SRI WFS performance with an optical amplifier are presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 29, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA472213
Entities
People
- Laura Klein
- Troy A. Rhoadarmer
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory