Optical inter-satellite communication with dynamically reconfigurable optical device using Sn[sub]2[/sub]P[sub]2[/sub]S[sub]6[/sub] crystal

Kaori Nishimaki; Atsushi Okamoto; Tomohiro Fujita; Alexander A. Grabar; Masanori Takabayashi; Jun Uozumi; Akihisa Tomita; Yoshihisa Takayama

doi:10.1117/12.874428

21 February 2011 Optical inter-satellite communication with dynamically reconfigurable optical device using Sn₂P₂S₆ crystal

Kaori Nishimaki, Atsushi Okamoto, Tomohiro Fujita, Alexander A. Grabar, Masanori Takabayashi, Jun Uozumi, Akihisa Tomita, Yoshihisa Takayama

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7923, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies XXIII; 79230N (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.874428
Event: SPIE LASE, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Since the optical inter-satellite communication has attractive advantages such as high-speed transmission with high confidence, almost no electronic magnetic interference, and low power consumption, it has been activity investigated. However, directivity control of the laser beams requires a bulky and complicated system in satellite mobile communications. A more flexible and high accurate system with small and simple mechanism has been desired. In this study, we propose a new method of optical inter-satellite communication with a dynamically reconfigurable optical directional device in which diffraction gratings are automatically rewritten and reorganized in response of incident conditions by moving satellites. For realizing such a device, we have developed Sn₂P₂S₆ crystals which have a high sensitive photorefractivity and dynamic reconfigurable property. Furthermore, this crystal has hundreds times faster response than conventional photorefractive materials such as BaTiO₃. These features are extremely advantageous to construct a high-speed and flexible communication system with a large tolerance to displacement of moving satellites. To investigate the possibility of the dynamically reconfigurable optical inter-satellite communication system, we experimentally evaluate the temporal and spatial characteristics of Sn₂P₂S₆ crystals for the variation of the beam incident angle. Moreover, the diffraction beam from the crystal has phase conjugate wavefronts of the beam entering from the counter direction. We try to utilize this behavior to suppress the beam spread and to reduce the background light such as sunlight with a spatial filtering technique that has sensitivity in wavefront differences of the signal and background light.

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Kaori Nishimaki, Atsushi Okamoto, Tomohiro Fujita, Alexander A. Grabar, Masanori Takabayashi, Jun Uozumi, Akihisa Tomita, and Yoshihisa Takayama "Optical inter-satellite communication with dynamically reconfigurable optical device using Sn₂P₂S₆ crystal", Proc. SPIE 7923, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies XXIII, 79230N (21 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.874428

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