Compensation for Laser Beam Depolarization by Spatial Light Modulators

Abstract

We propose a new method for compensating the thermally induced depolarization of laser radiation, which is based on using spatial light modulators. It is shown that using one modulator, the integral depolarization degree can be reduced by several times, whereas two modulators make it possible to almost completely rule out depolarization, regardless of its nature. The phase front of the laser beam is analyzed and it is shown that this phase front remains qualitatively unchanged when depolarization is compensated by one modulator, while in the case of compensation by two modulators the phase nonuniformity decreases, which leads to an increase in the far-field intensity.