Telescopic systems with dynamic nonlinear optical correction for distortions

The review of basic achievements in the field of non-linear adaptive optics is presented. In particular, schematics and properties of adaptive optical telescopes considered in which the image distortions introduced by defects of the primary mirror and other optical elements are compensated by nonlinear optical methods. The conventional methods of laser optics, such as phase conjugation and dynamic holography, make it possible both to solve the problems of classical (imaging) optics related to the building of telescopes for imaging remote objects with high resolution, which are based on large, light-weight or sectional mirrors, and create the systems that produce laser beams with the high-quality wave front. The basic designs of such telescopes are considered and the possibilities of corrections for distortions in them are analysed and confirmed by experiments.