Auto-boresight technique for self-aligning phase conjugate laser
US4798462A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1985 |
| Grant date | Jan 17, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B11/27
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a self-aligning phase conjugate laser beam that is automatically boresighted with an active or passive tracking sensor. A single-transverse-mode laser oscillator 12 and a tracking sensor 14 are mounted on opposite sides of an output coupling beamsplitter 15, all attached to a stabilized platform 13 which is part of the inner gimbal of a pointing and tracking system. A multipass laser amplifier 21 with a phase conjugation mirror 22 and an optional nonlinear frequency-conversion device 20 are located off the inner gimbal. The inner gimbal allows rotation of the stabilized platform about an elevation axis 16, and an outer gimbal or pedestal mount permits rotation about an azimuthal axis 17. The phase conjugation mirror 22 compensates the beam for the effects of optical aberrations caused by thermally induced changes in the amplifier medium and the nonlinear medium (if used) and also compensates the beam for angular tilt and jitter in the beam line of sight due to structural flexibility and motion of the stabilized platform. Part of the oscillator output passes through the beamsplitter to the tracking sensor to mark the far-field locat…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.