Performance Analysis of Bipolar Optical Code Division Multiple Access with Dual Electro-Optical Modulator Scheme for Free-Space Optical Communication

In this study, the performance of bipolar optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) with dual electro-optical modulator (EOM) scheme for multi-user scenario was tested and analyzed with OptiSystem version 10. The performance measurement was implemented for free-space optical (FSO) communication and includes the common noises in optical communication. Two different channels were used in the measurement, i.e., additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and fading channel. Two extreme weather conditions, strong rain and storm, were considered in the simulation. The performance between three spectral amplitude coding (SAC) codes, i.e., Modified M-Sequence code, Walsh-Hadamard code, and random diagonal (RD) code were measured and compared. The simulation results indicate that Modified M-Sequence code had the highest BER while RD code achieved the lowest BER in the short-range and Walsh-Hadamard code got the lowest BER for the medium-range of FSO, both for AWGN only and AWGN with fading channel. In strong turbulence condition, the performance of all codes become comparable after 500 m of FSO range. Modified M-Sequence suffered the lowest performance degradation while RD code endured the highest performance deterioration in all-weather condition. The results show that Modified M-Sequence can be applied for medium to long-range FSO.

Nanoelectromechanical modulation of a strongly-coupled plasmonic dimer

The ability of two nearly-touching plasmonic nanoparticles to squeeze light into a nanometer gap has provided a myriad of fundamental insights into light–matter interaction. In this work, we construct a nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) that capitalizes on the unique, singular behavior that arises at sub-nanometer particle-spacings to create an electro-optical modulator. Using in situ electron energy loss spectroscopy in a transmission electron microscope, we map the spectral and spatial changes in the plasmonic modes as they hybridize and evolve from a weak to a strong coupling regime. In the strongly-coupled regime, we observe a very large mechanical tunability (~250 meV/nm) of the bonding-dipole plasmon resonance of the dimer at ~1 nm gap spacing, right before detrimental quantum effects set in. We leverage our findings to realize a prototype NEMS light-intensity modulator operating at ~10 MHz and with a power consumption of only 4 fJ/bit.

System for Stabilizing an Operating Point of a Remote Electro-Optical Modulator Powered by Optical Fiber

The system for stabilizing an operating point of remote integrated optical Mach–Zehnder modulators with a dual output has been developed. The designed electronic circuit for precise bias control had low power consumption (less than 5 mW) and could be powered through optical fiber by signal optical radiation at a wavelength of 1550 nm with a power of 15 mW. The experimental demonstration of common mode noise rejection proved a high accuracy of the quadrature operating point setting and stabilization, resistance to the light intensity noise, and low level noise and distortion added to the transmitted signals.

Theoretical and Experimental Study of Heterodyne Phase-Sensitive Dispersion Spectroscopy with an Injection-Current-Modulated Quantum Cascade Laser

We report the theoretical and experimental study of calibration-free heterodyne phase-sensitive dispersion spectroscopy (HPSDS) in the mid-infrared using a direct current modulated mid-infrared quantum cascade laser (QCL). The modulation of QCL current at several hundred MHz or higher generates the synchronous frequency and intensity modulation of the QCL emission. An analytical model of the phase of the beat note signal in HPSDS is derived by considering the absorption and dispersion processes and incorporating the QCL modulation parameters. In the experiment, a 4.5 μm QCL modulated at 350 MHz was used to measure N2O at 200 Torr in a 10 cm gas cell. The N2O concentrations inferred from the analytical model were compared with the nominal values to show good agreement over the concentration range of 189−805 ppm with a standard deviation <3%. When the QCL wavelength was locked at the line-center of the molecular transition, it was of interest to find that the theoretical model was simplified to that used for near-infrared HPSDS with an electro-optical modulator for laser modulation.