Optimum Design of Cassegrain Antenna for Space Laser Communication

The divergence angl is very important index in space laser communication for energy transfer. Typically, the large aperture telescope as optical antenna is used for angle compression, and the divergence angle of communication beam is usually calculated by diffraction limit angle equation 1.22 lambda/D. This equation expresses the diffraction of a spherical wave through a circular aperture. However, the light source commonly used laser with a Gaussian distribution, and the optical antenna is central obscurations. The antenna parameters which is obscuration ratio and Gaussian beam apodization were significantly relative with the far field energy. In this study, we obtain the mathematic relation between the divergence angle, energy loss and the antenna parameters. From the relationship, we know that the divergence angle smaller as the increase of antenna obscuration ratio. It would tend to enhance the far-field energy density. But a larger obscuration ratio will increase the energy loss. At the same time, the increase of Gaussian beam apodization resulted in the energy of first diffraction ring was raised but the radius of first ring was increased. They were conflict. And then, the antenna parameters of trade-off was found from curves of obscuration ratio and curves of divergence angle. The parameters of a Cassegrain antenna was optimum designed for the energy maximization, and considerd the apodization from mechanical structure blocking. The long-distance laser communications were successful in these airborne tests. Stable communication was demonstrated. The energy gain is sufficient for SNR of high-bandwidth transmission in atmospheric channel.