Flat topped beams and their characteristics in turbulent media

Abstract

The source and receiver plane characteristics of flat topped ( FT) beam propagating in turbulent atmosphere are investigated. To this end, source size, beam power and M(2) factor of source plane FT beam are derived. For a turbulent propagation medium, via Huygens Fresnel diffraction integral, the receiver plane intensity is found. Power captured within an area on the receiver plane is calculated. Kurtosis parameter and beam size variation along the propagation axis are formulated. Graphical outputs are provided displaying the variations of the derived source and receiver plane parameters against the order of flatness and propagation length. Analogous to free space behavior, when propagating in turbulence, the FT beam first will form a circular ring in the center. As the propagation length increases, the circumference of this ring will become narrower, giving rise to a downward peak emerging from the center of the beam, eventually turning the intensity profile into a pure Gaussian shape. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.