Target feature integrated laser phase compensation system

An electro-optical system for measurement of aberrations induced on a laser beam by propagation through a turbulent medium to a non-cooperative target, the system comprising:

• a) a mode locked beacon master oscillator that produces a majority beacon beam comprising a high repetition rate (ranging from about 100 to 100000 Hz) sequence of transform limited pulsed laser beams and producing a minority reference beam that has a repetition rate defined by the cavity length of the mode locked beacon master oscillator (ranging typically from MHz to GHz);
• b) wherein a timing delay circuit receives the minority reference beam and produces a delayed reference beam delayed to coincide with an arrival time of a return beacon beam from a target aimpoint along a propagation path axis;
• c) wherein the majority beacon beam is transmitted through an optical path through a telescope, and through the turbulent medium to a target;
• d) wherein the return beacon beam returns from the target through the turbulent medium, telescope, optical path, and a quarter waveplate in the optical path, then passes through a first polarizing wave splitter optic;
• and
• e) wherein the return beacon beam is then directed to a wave front sensor (WFS) where it is combined with the minority reference beam to form a composite beam for phase measurement.

An electro-optical system for projection of laser beams through a turbulent medium to a non-cooperative target, the system comprising:

• a) a mode locked beacon master oscillator that produces a majority beacon beam comprising a high repetition rate (ranging from about 100 to 100000 Hz) sequence of transform limited pulsed laser beams and producing a minority reference beam that has a repetition rate defined by the cavity length of the mode locked beacon master oscillator (ranging typically from MHz to GHz);
• b) said majority beacon beam having an optical path to an amplifier means;
• c) said amplifier means forming a high energy laser (HEL) beam to a target via an optical path;
• d) said optical path including a steering mirror and a telescope;
• e) wherein a timing delay circuit receives the minority reference beam and produces a delayed reference beam that is delayed to coincide with the arrival of a return beacon beam from a target aimpoint along a propagation path axis;
• f) said majority high repetition rate beacon beam transmitted via an optical path to a medium power amplifier which sends the beacon beam via an optical path to the target;
• g) wherein a return beacon beam comprising a high repetition rate pulse train beam returns from the target through the turbulent medium, telescope, optical path, and a quarter waveplate in the optical path, then passes through a first polarizing wave splitter optic;
• h) wherein the high repetition rate return beacon beam is then directed to a first beacon wave front sensor (WFS) where it is combined with the minority reference beam to form a composite beam for phase measurement;
• i) said first WFS controlling a first phase correction device pair which (1) corrects the beacon beam with respect to phase aberrations caused by propagation through the turbulent medium and (2) provides phase commands to the first phase correction and steering device pair that will result in correction of amplitude aberrations in the beacon beam caused by propagation through the turbulent medium;
• j) a tracker and aim point controller which receives an image of the target from an illumination source, thereby generating a control signal to control the steering mirror;
• k) said minority reference beam further comprising a sample which goes to a second beacon WFS which also receives a sample of the returning beacon beam after said returning beacon beam passes through a further propagation optics and a third and second correction and steering device pair;
• l) said second beacon WFS controlling a third correction and steering device pair which corrects for remaining aberrations in the return beacon beam, resulting in correction of both amplitude and phase aberrations caused by propagation through the turbulent medium;
• m) a third WFS receives a sample beam from the minority mode locked beacon master oscillator beam after it passes through a spatial filter optic and the fourth correction and steering device pair to compare to a sample of the majority mode locked beacon master oscillator beam after it passes through an optical path including a propagation optics and the third correction and steering device pair;
• n) said third WFS controlling a fourth correction and steering device pair to correct for aberrations induced by propagation through the third phase correction and steering device pair and propagation optics;
• o) a fourth WFS receiving a sample of the majority mode locked beacon master oscillator beam and a minority mode locked beacon master oscillator beam after it passes through a spatial filter optic and the second correction and steering device pair;
• p) said fourth WFS controlling a second phase correction and steering device pair to correct for aberrations in the master oscillator;
• q) a fifth WFS receiving an amplifier probe beam after it passes through the amplifier means;
• and
• r) said fifth WFS controlling a fifth correction and steering device pair.