Patent ID: RE44472

Claim:
A free-space optical communication system (FSOCS) transmitter An apparatus , comprising: a spatially-extended light source including comprising: a laser ; and to generate a mode-scrambled optical signal, the spatially extended light source further including a segment of multimode fiber having a first end positioned to receive a laser optical signal produced by the laser and a second end from which a mode-scrambled optical signal is emitted and , wherein a portion of the segment of multimode fiber is configured in a series of alternating loops; a power controller, operatively coupled to drive the laser and output optics , optically coupled configured to receive the mode-scrambled optical signal from the spatially-extended light source and direct the mode-scrambled optical signal outward from the FSOCS transmitter apparatus as an optical beam having a controlled divergence ; wherein the multimode fiber comprises two or more separate pieces of multimode fiber segments that are joined together to be a continuous single strand .