Turbulence induced beam spreading of higher order mode optical waves

Cynthia Y. Young; Yadira Vellon Gilchrest; Brian Macon

doi:10.1117/1.1465427

1 May 2002 Turbulence induced beam spreading of higher order mode optical waves

Cynthia Y. Young, Yadira Vellon Gilchrest, Brian Macon

Optical Engineering, Vol. 41, Issue 5, (May 2002). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1465427

It is well known that laser beams spread as they propagate through free space due to natural diffraction, and that there is additional spreading when optical waves propagate through atmospheric turbulence. Previous studies on Gaussian beams have mainly involved the lowest order mode (zero order). The study of higher order mode Gaussian beams has involved Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian beams for rectangular and cylindrical geometry, respectively. These studies have developed expressions for the field and intensity in free space, in addition to developing new definitions of beam size in the receiver plane for the higher order modes. We calculate the mean intensity of higher order mode Gaussian beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence, and, based on previously developed definitions for beam radius, we calculate the additional beam spreading due to random media. It is shown that higher order mode Gaussian beams experience less percentage of additional broadening due to atmospheric fluctuations than the zero-order mode beams.

©(2002) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Citation Download Citation

Cynthia Y. Young, Yadira Vellon Gilchrest, and Brian Macon "Turbulence induced beam spreading of higher order mode optical waves," Optical Engineering 41(5), (1 May 2002). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1465427

Published: 1 May 2002

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available