Reciprocity breaking during nonlinear propagation of adapted beams through random media

TL;DR

This paper investigates how nonlinear propagation in random media, such as turbulent atmosphere, breaks reciprocity in adaptive optics systems, affecting their ability to correct wavefront distortions.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of reciprocity breaking during nonlinear beam propagation in random media, with specific focus on Kerr-nonlinear turbulent atmosphere.

Findings

Reciprocity is broken during nonlinear propagation, impacting adaptive optics.

Nonlinear effects can undermine AO correction in turbulent media.

Analysis applies to Kerr-nonlinear and other random media.

Abstract

Adaptive optics (AO) systems rely on the principle of reciprocity, or symmetry with respect to the interchange of point sources and receivers. These systems use the light received from a low power emitter on or near a target to compensate profile aberrations acquired by a laser beam during linear propagation through random media. If, however, the laser beam propagates nonlinearly, reciprocity is broken, potentially undermining AO correction. Here we examine the consequences of this breakdown. While discussed for general random and nonlinear media, we consider specific examples of Kerr-nonlinear, turbulent atmosphere.