The effect of tracking performance due to temperature distribution of SiC reflectors in periscopic laser communications

Effect of temperature gradient and uniform temperature on tracking performance of reflectors in periscopic laser communication terminals was studied. Zernike polynomials on elliptical area were used to fit wave-front aberration of elliptical reflectors in periscopic laser communication terminals due to temperature distribution. RMS value of the thermal deformation, tracking error and intensity on detectors degradation at receiving terminals caused by thermal deformation were studied in inter-satellite laser communication system. From the result we can know that effect of temperature gradient is the move of peak intensity and a little degradation. The tracking error reaches 2.9 mu rad when temperature gradient is 14 degrees C/m. The uniform temperature will cause variation of intensity distribution on focus plane of detectors. When the difference between uniform temperature and reference temperature is small, the astigmatism causing by thermal distortion is very important. As the difference becomes bigger, the high-order modes of Zernike polynomials become very important. The distribution of intensity becomes irregular and the area is very big. This will reduce the tracking performance of detectors. This work will contribute to the thermal control of elliptical reflectors in periscopic laser communication terminals on satellites in orbit.