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A holographically, self-referenced interferometer may include a detector to detect interference fringes in a reference leg optical signal. The interferometer may also include a holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal in response to the detected in

A holographically, self-referenced interferometer may include a detector to detect interference fringes in a reference leg optical signal. The interferometer may also include a holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal in response to the detected interference fringes.

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What is claimed is: 1. An interferometer, comprising: a polarization beam splitter to split a laser beam into a primary leg optical signal within the interferometer and a reference leg optical signal within the interferometer; a partial-reflecting output beam splitter to combine the primary leg opt

What is claimed is: 1. An interferometer, comprising: a polarization beam splitter to split a laser beam into a primary leg optical signal within the interferometer and a reference leg optical signal within the interferometer; a partial-reflecting output beam splitter to combine the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal; a detector to detect interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal caused by combining the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal, wherein the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal remain within the interferometer and wherein the partial-reflecting output beam splitter directs a portion of the combined primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal to the detector to detect the interference fringes; a holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal in response to the detected interference fringes; and an input/output polarizing beam splitter to transmit the reference leg optical signal to the holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal and to reflect the compensated reference leg optical signal to the partial-reflecting output beam splitter. 2. The interferometer of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a focal plane array to detect the interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal. 3. The interferometer of claim 1, wherein the holographic correction device comprises an electrically addressed spatial light modulator. 4. The interferometer of claim 1, further comprising a fringe processor to control the holographic correction device in response to a fringe pattern generable from recorded interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal. 5. An interferometer comprising: a polarization beam splitter to split a laser beam into a primary leg optical signal within the interferometer and a reference leg optical signal within the interferometer; a partial-reflecting output beam splitter to combine the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal; a detector to detect interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal caused by combining the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal, wherein the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal remain within the interferometer and wherein the partial-reflecting output beam splitter directs a portion of the combined primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal to the detector to detect the interference fringes; a holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal in response to the detected interference fringes; an input/output polarizing beam splitter to transmit the reference leg optical signal to the holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal and to reflect the compensated reference leg optical signal to the partial-reflecting output beam splitter; a fringe processor to control the holographic correction device; and a holographic compensation feed back loop including a focal plane array, the fringe processor and the holographic correction device. 6. The interferometer of claim 5, further comprising a startup fringe pattern applicable to the reference leg optical signal, wherein compensation of the reference leg optical signal is handed over to the holographic compensation feedback loop in response to startup fringes of the startup fringe pattern, detected by the focal plane array, being of sufficient contrast to replace the startup fringe pattern with a compensation fringe pattern generable by the holographic correction device based on fringes recorded by the focal plane array. 7. The interferometer of claim 6, wherein the startup fringe pattern is a binary or blazed fringe pattern. 8. The interferometer of claim 5, further comprising a spatial filter to filter the reference leg optical signal. 9. The interferometer of claim 8, wherein the fringe processor generates startup fringes to diffract the reference leg optical signal to the spatial filter with a conjugate order of the reference leg optical signal centered on the filter. 10. The interferometer of claim 8, further comprising at least one waveplate being adjustable to maximize throughput through the spatial filter and to control power balance between the reference leg optical signal and a primary leg optical signal. 11. The interferometer of claim 8, further comprising at least one waveplate being adjustable to maintain a constant fringe contrast and to substantially maximize an output of a compensated reference wave fed-back to the spatial filter. 12. The interferometer of claim 11, wherein the at least one waveplate is mechanically or electro-optically adjusted. 13. The interferometer of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a focal plane detector, and the holographic correction device comprises an electrically addressed spatial light modulator, and wherein the interferometer further comprises a fringe processor and a holographic feedback loop, wherein the fringe processor generates startup fringes for injection into the reference leg optical signal and drives the electrically addressed spatial light modulator with a fringe pattern generated from fringes recorded by the focal plane detector in response to the startup fringes detected by the focal plane detector being of sufficient contrast to handover compensation of the reference leg optical signal to the holographic compensation feedback loop including the focal plane array, the fringe processor and the electrically addressed spatial light modulator. 14. The interferometer of claim 13, further comprising a fringe generation algorithm and a waveplate rotation algorithm to compensate for signal dropouts by feeding back a previous fringe pattern or the startup fringe pattern. 15. A laser system, comprising: a source to generate a laser beam; and a self-referenced interferometer to transmit the laser beam, the interferometer including a holographically compensated reference leg, wherein the reference leg is holographically compensated by detecting interference fringes in a reference leg optical signal caused by combining a primary leg optical signal with the reference leg optical signal in an output beam splitter, wherein the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal are formed by splitting the laser beam in a polarization beam splitter, and the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal remain within the interferometer and the reference leg optical signal is transmitted to a beam compensation device by an input/output beam splitter. 16. The laser system of claim 15, wherein the self-referenced interferometer comprises: a detector to detect the interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal; and a holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal in response to the detected interference fringes. 17. The laser system of claim 16, wherein the detector comprises a focal plane array to detect the interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal. 18. The laser system of claim 16, wherein the holographic correction device comprises an electrically addressed spatial light modulator. 19. The laser system of claim 16, wherein the self-referenced interferometer further comprises a fringe processor to control the holographic correction device in response to a fringe pattern generable from recorded interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal. 20. A laser system comprising: a source to generate a laser beam; a self-referenced interferometer to transmit the laser beam, the interferometer including a holographically compensated reference leg, wherein the self-referenced interferometer comprises: a polarization beam splitter to split a laser beam into a primary leg optical signal within the interferometer and a reference leg optical signal within the interferometer; a partial-reflecting output beam splitter to combine the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal; a detector to detect interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal caused by combining the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal, wherein the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal remain within the interferometer and wherein the partial-reflecting output beam splitter directs a portion of the combined primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal to the detector to detect the interference fringes; a holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal in response to the detected interference fringes; an input/output polarizing beam splitter to transmit the reference leg optical signal to the holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal and to reflect the compensated reference leg optical signal to the partial-reflecting output beam splitter; a fringe processor to control the holographic correction device; and a holographic compensation feed back loop including a focal plane array, the fringe processor and the holographic correction device. 21. The laser system of claim 20, further comprising a startup fringe pattern applicable to the reference leg optical signal, wherein compensation of the reference leg optical signal is handed over to the holographic compensation feedback loop in response to startup fringes of the startup fringe pattern, detected by the focal plane array, being of sufficient contrast to replace the startup fringe pattern with a compensation fringe pattern generable by the holographic correction device based on fringes recorded by the focal plane array. 22. A method to compensate for signal wavefront aberrations, comprising: detecting interference fringes in a reference leg optical signal in a self-referencing interferometer caused by combining a primary leg optical signal with the reference leg optical signal at a partial-reflecting output beam splitter; holographically compensating the reference leg optical signal in response to the interference fringes to provide a signal wavefront substantially free of aberrations, wherein the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal are formed by splitting a laser beam at a polarization beam splitter, and the primary leg optical signal and the reference leg optical signal remain within the interferometer; transmitting the reference leg optical signal from an input/output polarizing beam splitter to a holographic correction device to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal; reflecting the compensated reference leg optical signal back to the input/output polarization beam splitter from said holographic correction device; and reflecting the compensated reference leg optical signal from said input/output polarizing beam splitter to said partial-reflecting output beam splitter. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising diffracting a conjugate order of a distorted reference leg optical signal by applying an artificial startup fringe pattern to the reference leg optical signal. 24. The method of claim 22, further comprising filtering the reference leg optical signal through a spatial filter. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: maximizing throughput through the spatial filter; and controlling power balance between the reference leg optical signal and the primary leg optical signal. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising adjusting a waveplate to maximize throughput through the spatial filter and to balance the signal power. 27. The method of claim 22, further comprising handing over compensation of the reference leg optical signal to a holographic correction device which replaces an artificial fringe pattern with a holographic compensating fringe pattern in response to a sufficient contrast of fringes being detected through a spatial filter. 28. The method of claim 22, further comprising: recording interference fringes in the reference leg optical signal; and controlling a holographic correction device in response to the recorded interference fringes. 29. The method of claim 22, further comprising generating one of a binary or a blazed fringe pattern to holographically compensate the reference leg optical signal. 30. The method of claim 22, further comprising maintaining a constant fringe contrast. 31. The method of claim 30, further comprising adjusting a waveplate to at least one of maintain a constant fringe contrast and substantially maximize an output of a spatial filter. 32. The method of claim 22, further comprising substantially maximizing an output of a spatial filter in an interferometer. 33. The method of claim 22, compensating for signal dropouts by coasting.