Experimental test of an infrared phase conjugation adaptive array*

Abstract

Results of an experimental program to investigate the properties of an infrared phase conjugation adapative array are described. Both linear and planar adaptive arrays of up to 7 elements using a new integrated frequency phase control technique at 10.6 μm are discussed. The results presented include correction for atmospheric turbulence at ranges of 1, 6, and 9.5 km. Beam broadening induced by turbulence is reduced to the array diffraction limit and target irradiance fluctuations are decreased by a factor of ≈ 20 in strong turbulence. Received irradiance fluctuations are reduced by ≈ 50 db out to 2 kHz. Beam pointing, scanning, and automatic target acquistion and tracking are demonstrated over the 1 mrad array field of view.