Abstract:
Optical communication systems and methods using coherently combined optical beams are disclosed. A representative system includes a first mirror having a first actuator for adjusting a position of the first mirror in a path of a first optical beam and a first optical detector for receiving light reflected from the first mirror. The system also includes a second mirror having a second actuator for adjusting a position of the second mirror in a path of a second optical beam and a second optical detector for receiving light reflected from the second mirror. The system includes an interferometer for measuring an interference between the first and second optical beams and a third optical detector for receiving light from the second interfered optical beam. Intensity of the first interfered optical beam is increased by the interference, and intensity of the second interfered optical beam is decreased by the interference.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosed embodiments generally relate to the field of optical communication, and more specifically to coherently combining beams of light received from multiple apertures into an input of an optical fiber. Combining coherent beams of light may be advantageous to reduce or eliminate signal fading caused by atmospheric turbulence. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Errors in optically transmitted data may be due to different causes, including distortion of the signal in the transmission medium. In free-space optical communications systems that propagate light through air, turbulence can be a significant source of channel impairment. For example, non-uniform refraction of the optical beam can be caused by small-scale fluctuations in air density that result from temperature or pressure gradients along the path of the optical beam. These atmospheric fluctuations can cause frequency-nonselective fades in the optical beam&#39;s power. The fade process has a correlation time which is typically much longer than the duration of a typical symbol in the optical beam, therefore negatively impacting the signal to noise ratio of the data stream. 
     To reduce the beam fading, some conventional technologies use adaptive optics. The adaptive optics correct the deformations of an incoming wavefront of light by measuring the distortions in the wavefront of the optical beam (e.g., using array with hundreds or thousands of detectors) and by compensating these distortions with adaptive optical elements, e.g., deformable mirrors. Typically, hundreds of actuators are needed to appropriately deform a mirror. However, the deformable mirrors and other active optical elements generally have relatively slow response time, therefore not being capable of correcting the fast-changing distortions in the wavefront of the optical beam. Furthermore, the active optical elements can be expensive. 
     Some other conventional technologies use an optical beam with relatively wide aperture to average-out the intensity variations across the beam, thereby reducing the fading. Generally, the required aperture of a beam that would overcome turbulence-induced fading becomes very large. However, for many practical applications of optical data transmission, the size of the aperture is limited, e.g., due to energy required to generate the beam or the allowable spacing among the beams. Furthermore, aperture-averaging does not correct for phase variations across the aperture, and is thus unsuitable for systems that utilize phase-sensitive signaling or single-spatial mode coupling. Accordingly, there remains a need for optical communication systems that can reliably transfer data through the atmosphere, where the atmosphere causes distortions in the wavefront and/or frequency-nonselective fades in optical power. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating optical data transmission through the atmosphere in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a quad detector in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIGS. 3A-3D  are schematic diagrams illustrating a mirror actuator in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating optical data transmission through the atmosphere in accordance with various embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments are directed to coherently combining the light from multiple apertures into an input of an optical fiber. Because the optical beams are coherent, turbulence-induced stochastic variations that cause fading of the individual beams may, in many cases, be reduced or eliminated in a combined optical beam. In some embodiments, combining the coherent optical beams increases gain, and/or reduces scintillation. The combined optical beam may be optically coupled to an optical fiber. 
     Briefly described, various embodiments use arrangements for coherently combining optical beams that are received from multiple (e.g., two or more) apertures. At least some mirrors in the path of the optical beams are coupled to corresponding mirror actuators that cause the mirrors to move in X, Y or Z directions to adjust tip (rotating about X axis), tilt (rotating about Y axis) and/or piston (translating along Z axis) of the mirrors. These mirrors can be moved to reflect the optical beams in specified directions. In some embodiments, the reflected optical beams impinge on their corresponding detector elements, such as quad detectors, that measure the intensity of the light reflected from the mirrors, and provide the measurements to a controller. As is known in the art, quad detectors can sense various properties of optical beams. The controller produces feedback signals to mirror actuators that adjust the mirrors. Some embodiments include an interferometer section that receives the light reflected from the mirrors. A detector (e.g., a split detector) within the interferometer section may track the error signal of the combined beams, and may provide feedback to the mirror actuators for adjustment of the mirrors. The interference between the two beams may be controlled to maximize or at least increase light intensity of the optical beam that is coupled to an optical fiber, and to minimize or at least decrease light intensity of the other optical beam. For example, the output of the interferometer can include the coherently combined output beam that is coupled to the optical fiber. A detector (e.g., a split detector) within the interferometer section can be used to track the error signal of the coherently combined beams, and provides feedback to the mirror actuators for adjustment of the mirrors. 
     In some embodiments, widely spaced optical beams are incident on the mirrors (e.g., first mirror reflects first optical beam, second mirror reflecting second optical beam, etc.). The mirrors may be coupled to mirror actuators that cause the mirrors to move in X, Y or Z directions to adjust mirror position (e.g., tip, tilt or piston). The reflected optical beams may be passed through beamsplitters to partially direct the optical beams to their corresponding detector elements, such as quad detectors. The detector elements can measure the intensity/location of the light reflected from the mirrors to provide feedback (e.g., through a controller) to the mirror actuators that adjust the position of the mirrors. In some embodiments, a pixelated sensor (e.g., a CCD array) may collect an image of the combined light after reflecting the optical beams from the first and second mirrors. Unlike conventional technologies that require sensors with hundreds or thousands of pixels, the pixelated sensor in the present embodiments can be relatively small, e.g., 4×4 CCD array or photodiode array. The image obtained by the image sensor can be analyzed to provide feedback to the mirror actuators of the first and second mirrors for further adjustment. The optical beams are coherently combined and coupled to the optical fiber to increase the intensity of the signal and to reduce signal fading. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating optical data transmission through the atmosphere in accordance with various embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, a first optical beam  101  and a second optical beam  102  are directed through a first lens  110  and a second lens  115  to a first mirror  121  and a second mirror  122 , respectively. While the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  depicts two optical beams, the disclosed techniques can be extended to additional coherently-combined optical beams having corresponding mirrors. Furthermore, while an illustrative arrangement of lenses and optical reflectors is depicted in  FIG. 1 , other arrangements are also possible. 
     The first and second mirrors  121 ,  122  reflect the first and second optical beams  101 ,  102  toward a beamsplitter (e.g., a semitransparent mirror or a half-silvered mirror) that directs a portion of the first and second optical beams toward a first optical prism  130 . The first optical prism  130  directs the first and second optical beams toward a third lens  135  and a fourth lens  136 , respectively. The third and fourth lenses  135 ,  136  direct the first and second optical beams to a first optical detector  141  and a second optical detector  142 , respectively. In some embodiments, the optical detectors may be position-sensitive detectors, such as quad detectors that detect the optical power over each of the quarters (e.g., 90° segments) of the optical detector. The position sensitive detector may also be a detector array or a lateral-effect device. The first and second optical detectors  141 ,  142  can feed their output signals to a controller  190 . The controller  190  may provide control signals to the actuators. In some embodiments, the first and second mirrors  121 ,  122  may be actuated by their respective actuators that can provide tip, tilt and/or piston adjustment of the mirror position. In some embodiments, the first mirror  121  can be actuated in the tip, tilt and piston directions, while the second mirror  122  can be actuated in the tip and tilt directions. The actuation of the first and second mirrors  121 ,  122  may improve alignment of the first and second optical beams, as explained below. 
     In some embodiments, the first and second optical beams  101 ,  102  may be directed to a second optical prism  145  and further to a third mirror  151  and a fourth mirror  152 , respectively. In some embodiments, the third and second mirrors  151 ,  152  may be attached to the actuators that are controllable by the controller  190 . The reflected first and second optical beams  101 ,  102  intersect and combine interferometrically at a beamsplitter  154 . The interference occurs between the first and second optical beams  101 ,  102  at the same wavelength (or carrier frequency) because of the phase difference between the optical beams. The interferometrically combined first and second optical beams  181 ,  182  may be directed to a third optical detector  165  and an optical fiber  170 , respectively, through a fifth lens  162  and a sixth lens  161 . The intensity of the first interferometrically combined optical beam  181  (also referred to as the first interfered optical beam  181 ) that is coupled to the optical fiber  170  may be maximized or at least increased by minimizing or at least decreasing the intensity of the second interferometrically combined optical beam  182  (also referred to as the second interfered optical beam  182 ) directed to the optical detector  165 . For example, the optical detector  165  can provide an input to the controller  190  for additional adjustment of the piston at the mirror  121 . The additional piston actuation of the mirror  121  can increase the intensity of the first interferometrically combined optical beam  181  (therefore increasing the intensity of light in the optical fiber), while in turn decreasing the intensity of the second interferometrically combined optical beam  182  at the optical detector  165 . In some embodiments, the optical detector  165  can be a position-sensitive detector such as the quad detector that is described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 2  below. In some embodiments the optical detector  165  can be a detector array or a lateral-effect device. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a quad detector in accordance with various embodiments. The illustrated quad detector  200  includes four quadrants I 0  to I 3  that can detect intensity of light. For example, in the illustrated example, quadrant I 0 , having higher illumination than the other three quadrants, can detect light and provide high output, while the quadrants I 1 , I 2  and I 3  can provide relatively low output. In the illustrated arrangement, the quadrants are arranged in an X-Y orthogonal coordinate system, however, other arrangements are also possible. 
       FIGS. 3A-3D  are schematic diagrams illustrating a mirror actuator in accordance with various embodiments.  FIG. 3A  illustrates the three directions of actuation: tip—rotation about the x axis, tilt—rotation about the y axis, and piston—translation along the z axis.  FIGS. 3B-3D  illustrate details of the actuation caused by the exemplary actuator. In some embodiments, a mirror may be attached to a surface  330  of the mirror actuator. The movements of the surface  330  (e.g., in response to control signal from the controller) can reposition the attached mirror to improve direction of the optical beam that reflects from the mirror. In some embodiments, several movements of the surface  330 , and consequently of the attached mirror, can be executed in response to a control signal from the controller. 
     In some embodiments, the control signals can be based on the following analysis. For example, the two optical fields u 0  and u 1  may combine interferometrically as:
 
 u   0   =A   0  exp[ i ( a   0   x+b   0   y+c   0 )]
 
 u   1   =A   1  exp[ i ( a   1   x+b   1   y+c   1 )]
 
where A 0  and A 1  are uniform amplitudes of the optical beams (e.g., the first optical beam  101  and the second optical beam  102 ). The optical beams can be summed as:
 
 u=u   0   +u   1  
 
with resulting intensity
 
 I=|u|   2  
 
for the following range:
 
− L≦x≦L, −L≦y≦L  
 
Therefore, the intensity of the interferometrically combined beam is:
 
 I ( x, y )= A   0   2   +A   1   2   +A   0   A   1 2 cos [ ax+by+c] 
 
 a≡a   0 − a   1  
 
 b≡b   0 − b   1  
 
 c≡c   0 − c   1  
 
If the angle inside the cosine is close to π, a Taylor expansion approximates intensity as:
 
                     I   ⁡     (     x   ,   y     )       ≈       ⁢       A   0   2     +     A   1   2     -     2   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1       +     2   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1     ⁢     1   2     ⁢       (     ax   +   by   +   c     )     2                     =       ⁢       A   0   2     +     A   1   2     -     2   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1       +       A   0     ⁢       A   1     ⁡     (         a   2     ⁢     x   2       +       b   2     ⁢     y   2       +     c   2     +     2   ⁢   axby     +     2   ⁢   axc     +     2   ⁢   byc       )                       
For a square quadrant detector illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the quadrant “0” would detect:
 
                     Q   0     =       ⁢       ∫     x   =   0     L     ⁢       ∫     y   =   0     L     ⁢       I   ⁡     (     x   ,   y     )       ⁢   dydx                     =       ⁢       ∫     ∫     A   0   2         +     A   1   2     -     2   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1       +       A   0     ⁢     A   1                         ⁢     (         a   2     ⁢     x   2       +       b   2     ⁢     y   2       +     c   2     +     2   ⁢   axc     +     2   ⁢   byc     +     2   ⁢   axby       )                 =       ⁢         L   2     ⁡     (       A   0   2     +     A   1   2     -     2   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1         )       +       A   0     ⁢     A   1                         ⁢     (         1   3     ⁢     a   2     ⁢     L   3       +       1   3     ⁢     b   2     ⁢     L   3       +     acL   2     +     bcL   2     +       1   2     ⁢     abL   4       +       c   2     ⁢     L   2         )                 
Similarly, quadrant “1” detects:
 
 Q   1 =∫ x=−L   0  ∫ y=0   L   I ( x, y ) dydx  
 
 Q   1   =L   2 ( A   0   2   +A   1   2 −2 A   0   A   1 )+ A   0   A   1 (⅓ a   2   L   3 +⅓ b   2   L   3   −acL   2   +bcL   2 −½ abL   4   +c   2   L   2 )
 
The intensity over remaining quadrants can be calculated as:
 
 Q   2   =L   2 ( A   0   2   +A   1   2 −2 A   0   A   1 )+ A   0   A   1 (⅓ a   2   L   3 +⅓ b   2   L   3   +acL   2   −bcL   2 −½ abL   4   +c   2   L   2 )
 
 Q   3   =L   2 ( A   0   2   +A   1   2 −2 A   0   A   1 )+ A   0   A   1 (⅓ a   2   L   3 +⅓ b   2   L   3   −acL   2   −bcL   2 +½ abL   4   +c   2   L   2 )
 
Thus we can define quantities
 
 V ≡( Q   0   +Q   1 )−( Q   2   +Q   3 )=4 A   0   A   1   bcL   2  
 
 H ≡( Q   0   +Q   2 )−( Q   1   +Q   3 )=4 A   0   A   1   acL   2  
 
 D ≡( Q   0   +Q   3 )−( Q   1   +Q   2 )=2 A   0   A   1   abL   4  
 
 S≡Q   0   +Q   1   +Q   2   +Q   3 =4 L   2 ( A   0   2   +A   1   2 −2 A   0   A   1 )+ 4/3 A   0   A   1   L   3 ( a   2   +b   2 )+4 A   0   A   1   c   2   L   2  
 
and produce the resulting estimators which are proportional to the errors:
 
               E   piston     =         V   ·   H     D     =         16   ⁢     A   0   2     ⁢     A   1   2     ⁢     L   4     ⁢     abc   2         2   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1     ⁢     L   4     ⁢   ab       =     8   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1     ⁢     c   2                         E   tip     =         V   ·   D     H     =         8   ⁢     A   0   2     ⁢     A   1   2     ⁢     L   6     ⁢     ab   2     ⁢   c       4   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1     ⁢     L   2     ⁢   ac       =     2   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1     ⁢     L   4     ⁢     b   2                         E   tilt     =         H   ·   D     V     =         8   ⁢     A   0   2     ⁢     A   1   2     ⁢     L   6     ⁢     a   2     ⁢   bc       4   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1     ⁢     L   2     ⁢   bc       =     2   ⁢     A   0     ⁢     A   1     ⁢     L   4     ⁢     a   2                 
Because L is a known quantity (the size of the quadrant), and A 0 , A 1  can be measured because they are related to power in each arm of the interferometer, then a (tilt), b (tip) and c (piston) can be controlled to be small, but non-zero, through feedback to piston to control c, feedback to horizontal tilt to control a, and feedback to vertical tip to control b.
 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating optical data transmission through the atmosphere in accordance with various embodiments. The illustrated embodiment may be suitable for the optical beams that are widely spaced apart (e.g., the apertures are widely spaced apart). While the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 4  depicts two optical beams, the disclosed techniques can be extended to include additional coherent optical beams. In some embodiments, a first optical beam  401  reflects from a first mirror  421 , a third mirror  423  and a fifth mirror  431 , and a second optical beam  402  reflects from a second mirror  422 , a fourth mirror  424  and a sixth mirror  432 . The fifth mirror  431  and the sixth mirror  432  direct the first and second optical beams  401 ,  402 , respectively, toward a first beamsplitter  425  (e.g., a semitransparent mirror or a half-silvered mirror). The first beamsplitter  425  can direct a portion of the first and second optical beams  401 ,  402 , respectively, toward a first lens  435  and a second lens  436 , and further toward a first optical detector  461  and a second optical detector  462 . In some embodiments, the optical detectors  461 ,  462  can be quad detectors as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the optical detectors  461 ,  462  feed their outputs to a controller  490 . Based at least in part on the signals received from the optical detectors  461 ,  462 , the controller  490  can adjust position of the fifth mirror  431  and the sixth mirror  432  such that the coherent coupling of the first and second beam at an optical fiber  470  is improved. The fifth and sixth mirrors  431 ,  432  can be attached to the actuators that adjust tip, tilt and piston of the mirrors. In some embodiments, the fifth mirror  431  can be attached to the actuators that adjust tip and piston, and the sixth mirror  432  can be attached to the actuators that adjust tip, tilt and piston. In some embodiments, the actuators illustrated in  FIGS. 3A-3D  can be used. 
     In some embodiments, the first and second optical beams  401 ,  402  are directed to a third lens  470  and further to a second beamsplitter  426 . The second beamsplitter  426  may direct at least a portion of the first optical beam  401  and the second optical beam  402  to a pixelated sensor  480 . In some embodiments, the pixelated sensor  480  may have relatively low resolution, e.g., 4×4 pixels. Signal from the pixelated sensor  480  can be fed to the controller  490  for additional positional adjustment of the fifth mirror  431  and the sixth mirror  432 . In some embodiments, the signal from the pixelated sensor can be used to adjust piston of the fifth and sixth mirrors  431 ,  432 , thereby improving optical coupling of the first and second optical beams  401 ,  402  and increasing intensity of the combined optical beam in the optical fiber  470 . 
     The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4  includes two optical beams, but a number of other optical beams can also be combined. For example, combining four optical beams can be described as: 
             u   =       ∑     j   =   0     3     ⁢           ⁢     u   j             
where u is non-zero on one quadrant of a quad detector, and the individual optical beams are:
 
 u   j   =A   j  exp[ i ( a   j   x+b   j   y+c   j )]
 
For a domain that is a box of size L×L centered at
 
               (       ±     L   2       ,     ±     L   2         )     ,         
four adjacent squares each with uniform intensity can be added. Each square may have different intensity, phase, tip, and tilt. The optical beams are combinable through Fourier transform in focal plane as:
 
               u   ~     =       A   0     ⁢     exp   ⁡     [       ic   0     -     i   ⁢           ⁢         a   0     ⁢   L     2       -     i   ⁢           ⁢         b   0     ⁢   L     2         ]       ⁢     exp   ⁡     [         -   i     ⁢           ⁢   π   ⁢           ⁢     Lx   ′       -     
     ⁢           ⁢     i   ⁢           ⁢   π   ⁢           ⁢     Ly   ′         ]       ⁢   sin   ⁢           ⁢     c   [       π   ⁢           ⁢     Lx   ′       +                 a   0     ⁢   L     2     ]     ⁢   sin   ⁢           ⁢     c   ⁡     [       π   ⁢           ⁢     Ly   ′       +         b   0     ⁢   L     2       ]         +     
     ⁢           ⁢       A   1     ⁢     exp   ⁡     [       ic   1     +     i   ⁢           ⁢         a   1     ⁢   L     2       -     i   ⁢           ⁢         b   1     ⁢   L     2         ]       ⁢     exp   ⁡     [       i   ⁢           ⁢   π   ⁢           ⁢     Lx   ′       -     
     ⁢           ⁢     i   ⁢           ⁢   π   ⁢           ⁢     Ly   ′         ]       ⁢   sin   ⁢           ⁢     c   ⁡     [       π   ⁢           ⁢     Lx   ′       +         a   1     ⁢   L     2       ]       ⁢   sin   ⁢           ⁢     c   ⁡     [       π   ⁢           ⁢     Ly   ′       +         b   1     ⁢   L     2       ]         +     
     ⁢           ⁢       A   2     ⁢     exp   ⁡     [       ic   2     -     i   ⁢           ⁢         a   2     ⁢   L     2       +     i   ⁢           ⁢         b   2     ⁢   L     2         ]       ⁢     exp   ⁡     [         -   i     ⁢           ⁢   π   ⁢           ⁢     Lx   ′       +     
     ⁢           ⁢     i   ⁢           ⁢   π   ⁢           ⁢     Ly   ′         ]       ⁢   sin   ⁢           ⁢     c   ⁡     [       π   ⁢           ⁢     Lx   ′       +         a   2     ⁢   L     2       ]       ⁢   sin   ⁢           ⁢     c   ⁡     [       π   ⁢           ⁢     Ly   ′       +         b   2     ⁢   L     2       ]         +     
     ⁢           ⁢       A   3     ⁢     exp   ⁡     [       ic   3     +     i   ⁢           ⁢         a   3     ⁢   L     2       +     i   ⁢           ⁢         b   3     ⁢   L     2         ]       ⁢     exp   ⁡     [       i   ⁢           ⁢   π   ⁢           ⁢     Lx   ′       +     
     ⁢           ⁢     i   ⁢           ⁢   π   ⁢           ⁢     Ly   ′         ]       ⁢   sin   ⁢           ⁢     c   ⁡     [       π   ⁢           ⁢     Lx   ′       +         a   3     ⁢   L     2       ]       ⁢   sin   ⁢           ⁢     c   ⁡     [       π   ⁢           ⁢     Ly   ′       +         b   3     ⁢   L     2       ]                     
Therefore, the intensity of the optical beam is:
 
 I ( x′, y ′)=| ũ|   2  
 
If the tip and tilt terms have been zeroed-out for each optical beam, then the following is true for the combination of the four optical beams:
 
a 0 =a 1 =a 2 =a 3 =b 0 =b 1 =b 2 =b 3 =0
 
 ũ =sin  c[πLx ′] sin  c[πLy′]{A   0  exp( ic   0 )exp(− iπLx′−iπLy ′)+ A   1  exp( ic   1 )exp( iπLx′−iπLy ′)+ A   2  exp( ic   2 )exp(− iπLx′+iπLy ′)+ A   3  exp( ic   3 )exp( iπLx′+iπLy ′)}
 
     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the scope of the invention. For example, in some embodiments the optical beams may propagate through a vacuum, or a combination of air and vacuum. In some embodiments, the optical beams may have frequency that is not visible, for example, frequency higher than that of the visible light. Accordingly, the invention is not limited, except as by the appended claims.