Demonstration of a variable data-rate free-space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques

The next generation free-space optical (FSO) communications infrastructure will need to support a wide range of links from space-based terminals in low Earth orbit, geosynchronous Earth orbit, and deep space to the ground. Efficiently enabling such a diverse mission set requires an optical communica...

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Main Authors: Geisler, David J., Schieler, Curt M., Yarnall, Timothy M., Stevens, Mark L., Robinson, Bryan S, Hamilton, Scott A
Other Authors: Lincoln Laboratory
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: SPIE 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105210
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author Geisler, David J.
Schieler, Curt M.
Yarnall, Timothy M.
Stevens, Mark L.
Robinson, Bryan S
Hamilton, Scott A
author2 Lincoln Laboratory
author_facet Lincoln Laboratory
Geisler, David J.
Schieler, Curt M.
Yarnall, Timothy M.
Stevens, Mark L.
Robinson, Bryan S
Hamilton, Scott A
author_sort Geisler, David J.
collection MIT
description The next generation free-space optical (FSO) communications infrastructure will need to support a wide range of links from space-based terminals in low Earth orbit, geosynchronous Earth orbit, and deep space to the ground. Efficiently enabling such a diverse mission set requires an optical communications system architecture capable of providing excellent sensitivity (i.e., few photons-per-bit) while allowing reductions in data rate for increased system margin. Specifically, coherent optical transmission systems have excellent sensitivity and can trade data rate for system margin by adjusting the modulation format, the forward error correction (FEC) code rate, or by repeating blocks of channel symbols. These techniques can be implemented on a common set of hardware at a fixed system baud rate. Experimental results show that changing modulation formats between quaternary phase-shifted keying and binary phase-shifted keying enables a 3-dB scaling in data rate and a 3.5-dB scaling in system margin. Experimental results of QPSK transmission show a 5.6-dB scaling of data rate and an 8.9-dB scaling in system margin by varying the FEC code rate from rate-9/10 to rate-1/4. Experimental results also show a 45.6-dB scaling in data rate over a 41.7-dB range of input powers by block-repeating and combining a pseudorandom binary sequence up to 36,017 times.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1052102022-09-29T16:56:03Z Demonstration of a variable data-rate free-space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques Geisler, David J. Schieler, Curt M. Yarnall, Timothy M. Stevens, Mark L. Robinson, Bryan S Hamilton, Scott A Lincoln Laboratory Geisler, David J. Schieler, Curt M. Yarnall, Timothy M. Stevens, Mark L. Robinson, Bryan S Hamilton, Scott A The next generation free-space optical (FSO) communications infrastructure will need to support a wide range of links from space-based terminals in low Earth orbit, geosynchronous Earth orbit, and deep space to the ground. Efficiently enabling such a diverse mission set requires an optical communications system architecture capable of providing excellent sensitivity (i.e., few photons-per-bit) while allowing reductions in data rate for increased system margin. Specifically, coherent optical transmission systems have excellent sensitivity and can trade data rate for system margin by adjusting the modulation format, the forward error correction (FEC) code rate, or by repeating blocks of channel symbols. These techniques can be implemented on a common set of hardware at a fixed system baud rate. Experimental results show that changing modulation formats between quaternary phase-shifted keying and binary phase-shifted keying enables a 3-dB scaling in data rate and a 3.5-dB scaling in system margin. Experimental results of QPSK transmission show a 5.6-dB scaling of data rate and an 8.9-dB scaling in system margin by varying the FEC code rate from rate-9/10 to rate-1/4. Experimental results also show a 45.6-dB scaling in data rate over a 41.7-dB range of input powers by block-repeating and combining a pseudorandom binary sequence up to 36,017 times. United States. Dept. of Defense. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering (Air Force Contract FA8721-05-C-0002) 2016-11-04T19:48:58Z 2016-11-04T19:48:58Z 2016-08 2016-05 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0091-3286 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105210 Geisler, David J. et al. “Demonstration of a Variable Data-Rate Free-Space Optical Communication Architecture Using Efficient Coherent Techniques.” Optical Engineering 55.11 (2016): 111605. en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.55.11.111605 Optical Engineering Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf SPIE SPIE
spellingShingle Geisler, David J.
Schieler, Curt M.
Yarnall, Timothy M.
Stevens, Mark L.
Robinson, Bryan S
Hamilton, Scott A
Demonstration of a variable data-rate free-space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques
title Demonstration of a variable data-rate free-space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques
title_full Demonstration of a variable data-rate free-space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques
title_fullStr Demonstration of a variable data-rate free-space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques
title_full_unstemmed Demonstration of a variable data-rate free-space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques
title_short Demonstration of a variable data-rate free-space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques
title_sort demonstration of a variable data rate free space optical communication architecture using efficient coherent techniques
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105210
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