Photovoltaically powered modulating retroreflectors

Robert J. Walters; James L. Murphy; William S. Rabinovich; G. Charmaine Gilbreath; David M. Wilt; Mark A. Smith; Michael J. Krasowski; Phillip Jenkins; D. Scheiman; Jeffrey H. Warner; Scott R. Messenger; Justin R. Lorentzen; Geoffrey P. Summers

doi:10.1117/1.2182127

1 March 2006 Photovoltaically powered modulating retroreflectors

Robert J. Walters, James L. Murphy, William S. Rabinovich, G. Charmaine Gilbreath, David M. Wilt, Mark A. Smith, Michael J. Krasowski, Phillip Jenkins, D. Scheiman, Jeffrey H. Warner, Scott R. Messenger, Justin R. Lorentzen, Geoffrey P. Summers

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 45, Issue 3, 034003 (March 2006). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.2182127

Abstract

The development of a photovoltaically (PV) powered laser communication system that constitutes a miniature, highly energy-efficient wireless communication technology is described. The technology is based on the direct integration of a multiquantum well (MQW) modulating retroreflector (MRR) optical communication node and a monolithically integrated module (MIM) PV power source. The MQW MRR optical data link exploits the shift in the MQW absorption peak under an applied reverse bias to modulate incident laser light, enabling binary encoding of data for transfer. A MIM consists of many individual solar cells monolithically integrated on a single substrate and offers the design versatility necessary to enable efficient electrical conversion of both incident sunlight and the system laser light and the ability to match the voltage output to the MRR requirements. A description of the development of the MRR and MIM components of the system is given. Results of bench-top demonstrations of the operational system are presented.

©(2006) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Citation Download Citation

Robert J. Walters, James L. Murphy, William S. Rabinovich, G. Charmaine Gilbreath, David M. Wilt, Mark A. Smith, Michael J. Krasowski, Phillip Jenkins, D. Scheiman, Jeffrey H. Warner, Scott R. Messenger, Justin R. Lorentzen, and Geoffrey P. Summers "Photovoltaically powered modulating retroreflectors," Optical Engineering 45(3), 034003 (1 March 2006). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.2182127

Published: 1 March 2006

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