Active optical system for phase-shifting desired portions of an incoming optical wavefront

A method for phase-shifting desired portions of an incoming optical wavefront, comprising the steps of:

• a) adjusting an incoming optical wavefront in accordance with first desired wavelength and beam propagation parameters;
• b) producing a driver optical wavefront;
• c) adjusting said driver optical wavefront in accordance with second desired wavelength and beam propagation parameters;
• d) combining the adjusted incoming optical wavefront and the adjusted driver optical wavefront to provide a combined, co-linear propagation output wavefront having an initial beam size;
• e) producing a desired beam size for the combined, co-linear propagation output wavefront;
• h) providing localized phased shifting of the beam size modified combined, co-linear propagation output wavefront;
• and,
• i) returning the combined, co-linear propagation output wavefront to said initial beam size, the resulting optical wavefront having desired portions of its phase shifted relative to the incoming optical wavefront.

An active optical system for phase-shifting desired portions of an incoming optical wavefront, comprising:

• a) a first control optics assembly for receiving an incoming optical wavefront and adjusting that incoming optical wavefront in accordance with first desired wavelength and beam propagation parameters, said first control optics comprising first wavelength control element for receiving the incoming optical wavefront, a first propagation control element for receiving the output of the wavelength control element;
• and a first polarization control element for receiving the output of said first propagation control element;
• b) a driver element for producing a driver optical wavefront, said driver element comprising a laser;
• c) a second control optics assembly for receiving said driver optical wavefront and adjusting that driver optical wavefront in accordance with second desired wavelength and beam propagation parameters;
• d) a combiner for receiving an output from the first control optics assembly and an output from the second control optics assembly, said combiner providing a combined, co-linear propagation output wavefront having an initial beam size;
• e) spatial light modulator (SLM) addressing optics for receiving the combined, co-linear propagation output wavefront and producing a desired beam size for the combined, co-linear propagation output wavefront;
• f) an SLM for receiving the output from the SLM addressing optics and providing localized phased shifting of the resulting wavefront;
• and,
• g) SLM egressing optics for receiving the output of the SLM and returning the beam size of the wavefront to the initial beam size, the output of the SLM egressing element having desired portions of its phase shifted relative to the incoming optical wavefront.