Optical Axis Identification Technique for Free Space Optics Transmission

This paper describes optical axis adjustment technique for an active free space optics transmission system. This system precisely controls the direction of a collimated thin laser beam using a motor driven laser emitting mechanism and positioning photodiodes. Before beginning laser beam feedback control, it is required to guide the laser beam within the range of the positioning photodiodes for initial laser beam alignment. This paper proposes an arrival position presumption method of laser beam traveling along the long distance from transmitter. A positioning sensor containing several photodiodes measures laser luminescence distribution, and analytically calculates the optical axis of laser beam according to the modified Gaussian beam optics based on four or five distributed local intensity of laser luminescence. Experiments are conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the presumption, and results reveal that the method is effective in leading the laser beam onto a distant receiver.

Fresnel zone plate with apodized aperture for hard X-ray Gaussian beam optics

Fresnel zone plates with apodized apertures [apodization FZPs (A-FZPs)] have been developed to realise Gaussian beam optics in the hard X-ray region. The designed zone depth of A-FZPs gradually decreases from the center to peripheral regions. Such a zone structure forms a Gaussian-like smooth-shouldered aperture function which optically behaves as an apodization filter and produces a Gaussian-like focusing spot profile. Optical properties of two types of A-FZP, i.e. a circular type and a one-dimensional type, have been evaluated by using a microbeam knife-edge scan test, and have been carefully compared with those of normal FZP optics. Advantages of using A-FZPs are introduced.