arXiv · 2602.20538
Range Emulator: A Compact Paraxial Optical System to Emulate Long-Distance Monochromatic Laser Propagation
Abstract
Emulating long-distance light propagation on a laboratory scale is essential for the ground-based testing of intersatellite optical systems. To address this challenge, we propose and analyze a novel optical system called the Range Emulator (RE) to reproduce the spatial propagation effects of a long-distance beam within a compact apparatus. Our analysis identifies that three lenses are required as the minimum number of lenses to implement the RE. Through a numerical exploration, we quantify the fundamental trade-off between system compactness and manufacturing precision. This work provides a practical framework for designing compact optical testbeds for future multi-satellite laser link technologies.
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Subaru Shibai, Kiwamu Izumi. 2026-02-24. Range Emulator: A Compact Paraxial Optical System to Emulate Long-Distance Monochromatic Laser Propagation. https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.20538
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