Time-Multiplexed One-Way Imaging for High Spatial Frequency Aberration Correction

Abstract

One way image compensation has been applied to aberration correction in such scenarios as static aberrations located between objects and collection optics,1 and aberrations situated within the imaging optics themselves.2 Real-time one-way image compensation has also been applied to image transmission through dynamic turbulent boundary layers.3 In each of these cases a corrective grating is created such that an image bearing beam diffracted off of this grating is corrected by virtue of the phase subtraction process characteristic of the minus one diffracted order. A primary limitations in these systems is the inability to correct for high spatial frequency aberrations. However, high spatial frequency compensation seems possible. Phase conjugation has been employed in double-pass correction methods to reverse an aberrated wavefront after it has traversed a multimode optical fiber.4,5 In this case the modal dispersion experienced in the fiber imposed an extremely high spatial frequency aberration rendering the image unrecognizable. In this paper we report a one-way imaging scheme capable of correcting such high spatial frequency aberrators as ground glass and multimode optical fibers. This is the first demonstration to our knowledge of one-way image correction with such a severe aberrator.