Lawrence Livermore Builds 28-km Air-Optic Link
Scientists at
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif., have successfully established a 28-km-long air-optics link between the laboratory and nearby Mount Diablo.
One of the longest such high-capacity laser communications links in existence, the system is being tested as part of the lab's Secure Air-Optic Transport and Routing Network (SATRN) as a means of communicating strategic information in situations where radio-frequency or microwave wireless communication lacks sufficient bandwidth and where laying fiber optic cable is impractical.
The system used a 1550-nm diode laser amplified with wavelength-division-multiplexed, erbium-doped fiber to send information at 10 Gb/s over four channels (2.5 Gb/s per channel). To receive the signal, the researchers used a system based on a modified fiber-coupled 16-in. telescope and a fiber-coupled 6-in. transmitter. Initial trials have shown that bit error rates for uncoded single channels are typically on the scale of 10
-4 to 10
-5 -- although these vary with atmospheric conditions.
LATEST NEWS
- CLEO Heads to the East Coast
Apr 29, 2024
- Laser-Based Gas Analyzer Developed to Detect Air Pollution
Apr 29, 2024
- Qubits Could be Stored in Flash-Like Memory
Apr 29, 2024
- Exail Signs LLNL Contract, Partners with Eelume
Apr 26, 2024
- Menlo Moves U.S. HQ: Week in Brief: 4/26/2024
Apr 26, 2024
- Optofluidics Platform Keys Label-, Amplification-Free Rapid Diagnostic Tool
Apr 25, 2024
- DUV Lasers Made with Nonlinear Crystals Enhance Lithography Performance
Apr 25, 2024
- Teledyne e2v, Airy3D Collaborate on 3D Vision Solutions
Apr 24, 2024