Evaluation of coverage area for a wide line-of-sight indoor optical free-space communication system employing coherent detection [optical wireless communications]

The application of coherent detection to indoor optical free-space communications is considered here. Analytical expressions are derived for a wide line-of-sight (W-LOS) optical link which determine the coverage area and the required photo-detection area given different binary digital transmission schemes and a given bit rate. The coverage area is maximised for systems using both metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) and PIN photo-detectors. Results show that MSM photo-detectors, due to their inherently lower capacitance per unit photo-detection area, result in a greater coverage area than their PIN counterparts. To demonstrate the viability of implementing coherent detection indoors, a 200 Mb/s LOS optical link which uses coherent detection is also reported.     

Low-complexity iterative equalisation and decoding for wireless optical communications [optical wireless communications]

A low-complexity scheme of iterative equalisation and decoding by combining a recursive systematic convolutional code and a pulse-position modulation is proposed here. A graph- based equalisation for intersymbol interference (ISI) known at both transmitter and receiver is considered. By representing the memory channel with ISI as the factor graph and applying sum-product (SP) algorithm to this graph, a posteriori probability (APP) of the desired symbol necessary to implement iterative equalisation and decoding is derived. A partial response precoding is used to reduce the span of ISI from a possible infinite number of two baud periods. This precoding scheme makes the factor graph of memory channel cycle-free, and SP algorithm for combating ISI converges to an optimum detection. Numerical results show that the proposed low-complexity strategy has almost the same performance as the optimum turbo equalisation.     

Double-layer graphene optical modulator

Here we report a high-performance double-layer graphene optical modulator. By using two graphene layers and an oxide layer in between to form a p-oxide-n like junction, this modulator operates at 1 GHz with a high modulation depth (~0.16 dB/μm) at a moderate drive voltage (~5 V). Benefited from the symmetrical band structure of graphene near Dirac point, such design eliminates the optical loss widely existing in silicon photonics and has advantages including small footprint, low energy consumption, and low insertion loss.     

Narrowband optical filters suitable for various applications in optical communications

We propose three types of narrowband optical filters based on a Fox-Smith resonator. We demonstrate that by choosing the appropriate combination of coating materials on each prism facet, one can design either a high reflectance or a high transmittance optical filter, suitable for low bit rate optical communication applications with International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) standards. We also show the possibility of designing an optical filter having a desirable finite reflectance/transmittance ratio with simultaneous peaks at ITU-T standard wavelengths. Such filters could be suitable for wavelength tuning applications.     

Holographically corrected telescope for high-bandwidth optical communications

We present a design for an optical data communications receiver-transmitter pair based on the holographic correction of a large diameter, poor-quality, reflecting primary mirror. The telescope has a narrow bandwidth (<0.1 nm) with good signal frequency isolation (>60 dB) and is scalable to meter-class apertures. We demonstrate the correction of a reflector telescope with over 2000 waves of aberration to diffraction-limited operation, capable of handling data transmission rates up to 100 GHz.     

Polymeric thermo-optic space switches for optical communications

Solid state optical space switches based on the thermo-optic (t.o.) effect in polymeric optical waveguides have now reached the commercial stage. The application of these switches is in network protection and network reconfiguration functions for fiber optic communications systems. The requirements for these applications include polarization and wavelength independence, low insertion loss, low cross talk, low drive power with step-like (digital) response, millisecond switching times and small size. In addition the reliability of the component must meet the demanding requirements of telecom applications. It will be shown that polymeric t.o. space switches can meet all functional requirements due to the exceptional thermal and t.o. effects of polymers combined with their tunability and processing versatility. Furthermore, it will be shown that polymer optical chips components can withstand extreme lifetime tests with success.     

A fiber optic phase modulator with an optical frequency shift of up to 20 GHz

A fiber optic phase modulator is described in which the phase of a light wave traveling in an optical fiber is modulated by a composite electromechanical resonator with Q≌1000. The instantaneous frequency of the wave at the modulator output varies according to a harmonic law. The interval of tuning of the instantaneous light wave frequency achieved in the experiment is 20 GHz, which corresponds to a modulation index of ≌10⁶. It is demonstrated that a maximum value of the frequency tuning range is determined by the elastic limit of the resonator material.     

Astigmatic phase correction for the magneto-optic spatial light modulator

We report a simple low-cost technique for evaluating the phase distortion in a magneto-optic spatial light modulator. We find that the dominant distortion is caused by astigmatism and is easily compensated by encoding of the complex-conjugate pattern onto the device. Two experimental results are shown. First, the focused spot size from a Fresnel lens is sharpened when the aberrations are corrected. Second, we show that the pattern that generates a first-order Bessel-function nondiffracting beam does not work unless the aberrations are corrected.     

Substrate-mode holographic polarization-division multi/demultiplexer for optical communications

Based on the diffractive properties of a transmission-type phase volume hologram, a new type of polarization-division multi/demultiplexer for optical communications is presented.     

An economical piezoelectric phase modulator for fiber optic sensors

A homemade piezoelectric phase modulator for interfero-metric fiber optic sensors was fabricated using piezoelectric buzzers as strain elements. Six piezoelectric elements were embedded between the two halves of a bakelite cylinder split along its axis and secured tightly together again to form a cylinder. Single-mode optical fiber was then wound around the cylinder to complete the unit. Up to a frequency of 500 Hz, the phase shift produced by the modulator is linearly proportional to the amplitude of the applied voltage. The sensitivity of the phase modulator is about 3.6 rad/V and has a dynamic range of 1,000 rad, which is sufficient for most phase modulation purposes.     

Improved superresolution in coherent optical systems

Objects that temporally vary slowly can be superresolved by the use of two synchronized moving masks such as pinholes or gratings. This approach to superresolution allows one to exceed Abbe's limit of resolution. Moreover, under coherent illumination, superresolution requires a certain approximation based on the time averaging of intensity rather than of field distribution. When extensive digital postprocessing can be incorporated into the optical system, a detector array and some postprocessing algorithms can replace the grating that is responsible for information decoding. In this way, no approximation is needed and the synchronization that is necessary when two gratings are used is simplified. Furthermore, we present two novel approaches for overcoming distortions when extensive digital postprocessing cannot be incorporated into the optical system. In the first approach, one of the gratings, in the input or at the output plane, is shifted at half the velocity of the other. In the second approach, various spectral regions are transmitted through the system's aperture to facilitate postprocessing. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the properties of the proposed methods.     

Free-space optical communications link budget estimation

This paper describes a new methodology of estimating free-space optical communications link budgets to be expected in conditions of severe turbulence. The approach is derived from observing that the ability of an adaptive optics (AO) system to compensate turbulence along a path is limited by the transmitter and receiver Rayleigh range, proportional to the diameter of the optics squared and inverse of the wavelength of light utilized. The method uses the Fried parameter computed over the range outside of the transmitter and receiver Rayleigh ranges, to calculate the Strehl ratios that yield a reasonable prediction of the light impinging on the receiving telescope aperture and the power coupling into the fiber. Comparisons will be given between theory and field measurements. These comparisons show that AO is most effective within the Rayleigh ranges, or when an atmospheric gradient is present, and lesser so when the total range is much greater than the sum of the Rayleigh ranges.     

Efficient, high-frequency bulk phase modulator

An efficient, 10.4-GHz bulk phase modulator is demonstrated that produces frequency-modulated optical bandwidths in excess of 300 GHz in a double-pass configuration with modest microwave drive power. The waveguide resonator design employs velocity matching to maximize phase-modulation efficiency and a modified form of cutoff waveguide coupling to achieve a high microwave cavity Q factor that reduces power requirements. The measured microwave performance of the modulator agrees well with performance predicted from fully anisotropic, three-dimensional numerical simulations.     

Phase retrieval via spatial light modulator phase modulation in 4f optical setup: numerical inverse imaging with sparse regularization for phase and amplitude

The 4f optical setup is considered with a wave field modulation by a spatial light modulator located in the focal plane of the first lens. Phase as well as amplitude of the wave field are reconstructed from noisy multiple-intensity observations. The reconstruction is optimal due to a constrained maximum likelihood formulation of the problem. The proposed algorithm is iterative with decoupling of the inverse of the forward propagation of the wave field and the filtering of phase and amplitude. The sparse modeling of phase and amplitude enables the advanced high-accuracy filtering and sharp imaging of the complex-valued wave field. Artifacts typical for the conventional algorithms (wiggles, ringing, waves, etc.) and attributed to optical diffraction can be suppressed by the proposed algorithm.