Electrical & Computer Engineering, Department of
Date of this Version
6-24-2003
Citation
United States Patent Patent No.: US 6,583,911 B1
Abstract
A free-space optical communications System is provided capable of transmitting data over long distances through the atmosphere. The communications System according to the present invention comprises an optical transmitter at a first location, the optical transmitter comprising a femtosecond pulsed laser Source for producing a train of femtosecond laser pulses. The optical transmitter further comprises a laser pulse width modulator to provide a pulse width modulated train of femtosecond laser pulses corresponding to the data being transmitted. The communications System further com prises an optical receiver at a Second location for receiving the modulated train of femtosecond laser pulses. The optical receiver comprises a spectral analyzer for detecting the Spectral components of the pulse width modulated train of femtosecond laser pulses. The optical receiver further comprises decoder circuitry operable to replicate the transmitted data based on the Spectral components of the modulated train of femtosecond laser pulses. In another aspect, a method for optically transmitting data employing the optical communication System according to the present invention is provided.