High Speed Electro-Absorption Modulator for Long Range Retroreflective Free Space Optics

• In this letter, we present the design and implementation of a pixelated electro-absorption modulator-based modulating retroreflector (MRR) for high-speed optical wireless communications. The modulator is based on a multiple quantum well structure embedded in an asymmetric Fabry-Perot cavity. This MRR was used in an outdoor link, operating at 150 Mb/s with a bit error rate (BER) of 1.22 × 10-6 at a range of 200 m. The system was also tested in laboratory-controlled conditions achieving a data rate of 200 Mb/s with a BER of 2 × 10-4. To the best of our knowledge, this is the fastest retroreflective free-space optics demonstration in both the indoor and outdoor environments.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Data- och informationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Computer and Information Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Free-space optical communications

modulating retroreflector

quantum well devices

Bit error rate

Fabry-Perot interferometers

Light modulators

Modulators

Semiconducting indium compounds

Semiconductor quantum wells

Space optics

Wireless telecommunication systems

Asymmetric Fabry-Perot cavities

Controlled conditions

Design and implementations

Free Space Optical communication

Modulating retro-reflectors

Multiple quantum-well structures

Optical wireless communications

Quantum well device

Optical communication

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)