Phased array quantum cascade lasers for satellite communications and infrared countermeasures
Abstract
Mid-Wave Infrared (MIR) free-space optical communications offer multiple advantages over visible and near infrared based systems as well as over microwave-based communications due to its improved transmission capacity through the atmosphere together with excellent directionality and resulting immunity to electromagnetic interference. Thus, MIR lasers can provide much longer propagation ranges at lower power than typical solid-state lasers (SSLs) that operate near infrared (NIR) and optical wavelengths. Standard NIR SSLs (the vast majority of lasers) compete much more with the sun’s blackbody radiation, which peaks at visible wavelengths (0.4–0.8 ?m), but has high intensities at NIR wavelengths (0.8–2.5 ?m). Thus, traditional and quantum-based SSL optical communication systems have always suffered from high in-band noise in the receiver, resulting in SSLs having modest transmission range, large power/size requirements, and low data rates. In addition, the recent accelerated advances in quantum cascade (QC) photonics devices (e.g., lasers and detectors) combining small size and weight, together with high energy efficiency to enable affordable optical systems operating at room temperature in the MIR. An additional advantage of MIR wavelengths is that their transmission in the atmosphere remains high even through rain, fog, or haze, unlike optical/NIR SSLs. In addition, transmitting large amounts of data on high power optical/NIR signals propagating in free-space comes with a high risk of interception by eavesdroppers. However, MIR transmission using wavelengths between 8 and 13 ?m (generally a good atmospheric window except for the O3 absorption 9.0–10.2 ?m at high altitudes) along with chaotic fluctuations in amplitude (chaotic waveform) provides low visibility, stealth for the communication signal. This is due to the random thermal blackbody radiation having a strong background at these wavelengths, greatly reducing the probability of adversaries intercepting a MIR laser signal, much less a chaotic waveform MIR laser signal. Therefore, we propose developing a demonstration test system to advance the state-of-the-art using MIR quantum cascade lasers (QCL).
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 21, 2022
- Source ID
- FA86552217032XX0
Entities
People
- Frédéric Grillot
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Institut Mines-Télécom
- United States Air Force