Integrated Photonics for Adaptive Discrete Multi-carrier Space-based Optical Communication and Ranging

This project developed microchip technology for integrated photonic transceiver components that may benefit a coherent laser optical communication and/or relay network in near-Earth space at wavelengths near 1550 nm and may be useful for use on size, weight and power (SWAP) constrained platforms. The transceiver architecture which was studied is based on a design which generates a flexible number of communication streams from a single laser. A second approach was also studied, which directly offers a very high modulation bandwidth (> 100 GHz). Use of integrated photonics offers scalable high bit-rate communications with orders-of-magnitude reductions in SWAP and energy consumption, and improvements on link performance and bandwidth compared to both RF communications and existing optical technologies. Research accomplishments were demonstrated using both table-top component assemblies, and microchips. Integrated silicon photonics chipsets were fabricated at the university and using helpful external collaborations with a USA-based silicon foundry process (Sandia Photonics Process, Sandia National Labs, Albuquerque, NM).