Covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy based optical phase control

In this letter, an investigation of the use of a covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA‐ES) algorithm is conducted as the phase‐locking method for multi‐channel coherent beam combining (CBC) for the first time. A comprehensive numerical analysis is carried out on the operational performances of the CMA‐ES based phase‐locking algorithm implemented into 7‐ and 19‐channel CBC systems in a filled‐aperture format. Through numerical simulations it can be verified that the CMA‐ES algorithm can readily lead to over 0.90 of normalised beam combining efficiency with appropriate algorithm parameter sets, which can also be optimised by a combinatorial study. The proposed CMA‐ES based phase‐locking algorithm is a feasible option for novel phase‐locking technique for a CBC system particularly when the local extremum issue becomes severe such as in CBC under turbulent atmospheric conditions.