Stimulated Raman Scattering in the atmosphere for wavefront clean-up and turbulence compensation of high-energy laser beams

A method for transmitting light beams, the method comprising:

• generating a first light beam, the first light beam having a first power;
• transmitting at least one second light beam having a second power, the second power being greater than the first power;
• and
• directing the at least one second light beam of the second power to at least partially co-align with the first light beam of the first power in a parallel or near parallel pattern within a region of atmospheric space to transfer energy from photons of the at least one second light beam of the second power to photons of the first light beam of the first power within the region of atmospheric space via Raman amplification.

An optical system, comprising:

• a first light source configured to generate a first light beam along an optical path, the first light beam including a first beam outgoing portion and a first beam return portion;
• means configured for phase conjugating the first beam return portion by imposing an inverse of a detected optical aberration on the first beam outgoing portion to generate a phase conjugated first beam outgoing portion, wherein Stokes-shifted photons from the phase conjugated first beam outgoing portion will form a signal beam having a signal beam wavelength and a signal beam phase;
• a second light source configured to generate at least one second light beam along the optical path such that pump photons from the at least one second light beam will form a pump beam;
• means for at least partially co-aligning the pump beam with the signal beam in a region of atmospheric space along the optical path designated as a Raman Interaction Zone (RIZ) which is selected based on its inclusion of gas and or plasma that will facilitate stimulated quantum energy absorption and emission, such that:
• Stokes-shifted photons of the signal beam will be Stokes-shifted to facilitate stimulated quantum energy absorption and emission by the gas and/or plasma;
• quantum energy absorption will generate an additional Stokes-shifted photon having the signal beam wavelength and the signal beam phase;
• and
• the additional Stokes-shifted photon will amplify the signal beam.