Analysis of performance of high light-energy-utilization-ratio laser communication antenna based on axicon

摘要

According to the transverse intensity distribution of the TEM_(00) Gaussian light field and character of an irradiance redistribution element, we proposed a novel method, which has the advantages of high light-energy-utilization-ratio (LEUR). The current laser communication (LASCOM) antenna frequently employs the Cassegrain reflective optical structure, in which the secondary mirror will introduce a center obscuration, leading to high ratio of transmitting power loss. To solve this problem, we make the transmitting beam pass through double convex axicons. The Gaussian peak of incident light coming into the central part of such element, will go out from near the peripheral part of the second axicon, and the edge part of Gaussian beam will go out from the central part. When the changed beam passes the Cassegrain structure, the utilizing efficiency will be raised obviously. In the paper, on different obscuration rate, the LEURs of LASCOM system before and after using the axicons are compared. In addition, the far-field intensity distribution of the laser beam changed by the axicon pair and transmitted by the antenna is calculated. The simulation result shows that the LEURs of antenna with and without an axicon pair are 91.7% and 28.9% on a Line obscuration ratio of 1/4. After a propagation of 1000 km, the far-field energy distribution of the hollow beam translated by the high LEUR antenna is closer to a flattop beam than that for the common Gaussian beam.