Laser communication with both high photon information efficiency (many bits/detected-photon) and high spectral efficiency (many bits/sec-Hz) is impossible with a single spatial-mode free-space link. Achieving these high efficiencies in the same system requires operation with 10's to 1000's of high-transmissivity spatial modes. Such systems will likely be restricted to 1 to 10 km line-of-sight terrestrial paths on which turbulence-induced cross talk will be encountered. In this paper we propose a cross-talk simulator for multiple spatial-mode free-space optical communication that could provide valuable information about the relevant merits of different mode sets when they are employed in conjunction with real modal multiplexers and demultiplexers.

Date Published: 7 October 2014
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 9224, Laser Communication and Propagation through the Atmosphere and Oceans III, 922408 (7 October 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2063520

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9224:
Laser Communication and Propagation through the Atmosphere and Oceans III
Alexander M. J. van Eijk; Christopher C. Davis; Stephen M. Hammel, Editor(s)