Aiming for high-capacity multi-modal free-space optical transmission leveraging complete modal basis sets
Zhouyi Hu, Yiming Li, Zhaozhong Chen, David M. Benton, Abdallah A. I. Ali, Mohammed Patel, Martin P. J. Lavery, A.D. Ellis
Abstract
Free-space optical (FSO) communication has gained much interest due to its capability of providing not only a cost-efficient solution where the optical fiber is too expensive or too difficult to deploy but also a much higher system capacity than its radio-frequency competitor. In addition to conventional polarization-division multiplexing and coherent detection, combining with mode-division multiplexing can unlock the full potential of FSO communications and achieve ultra-high spectral efficiency. In this paper, we review the recent progress of multi-modal FSO communication systems leveraging complete modal basis sets. Some practical issues for system design are discussed. We also present two latest demonstrations that achieved the record-high single-wavelength data rate using a commercial transponder and a pair of commercial multiplexer/demultiplexer for multi-modal FSO transmission without turbulence and in atmospheric turbulence, respectively, showing the potential of such a technique.