Franz Fidler

Optical Communications for High-Altitude Platforms

This paper contains a review of technologies, theoretical studies, and experimental field trials for optical communications from and to high-altitude platforms (HAPs). We discuss the pointing, acquisition, and tracking of laser terminals and describe how laser beams with low divergence can be used to transmit data at multi-Gigabits per second. Investigating the influence of the atmosphere, background light, and flight qualification requirements on system design, we explain why the data rates in free-space optical communications are still significantly below those possible in todays terrestrial fiber-based systems. Techniques like forward-error correction, adaptive optics, and diversity reception are discussed. Such measures help to increase the data rate or link distance while keeping the bit error ratio and outage probability of the optical HAP communication system low.

Integrated RGB laser light module for autostereoscopic outdoor displays

We have developed highly compact RGB laser light modules to be used as light sources in multi-view autostereoscopic outdoor displays and projection devices. Each light module consists of an AlGaInP red laser diode, a GaInN blue laser diode, a GaInN green laser diode, as well as a common cylindrical microlens. The plano-convex microlens is a so-called “fast axis collimator”, which is widely used for collimating light beams emitted from high-power laser diode bars, and has been optimized for polychromatic RGB laser diodes. The three light beams emitted from the red, green, and blue laser diodes are collimated in only one transverse direction, the so-called “fast axis”, and in the orthogonal direction, the so-called “slow axis”, the beams pass the microlens uncollimated. In the far field of the integrated RGB light module this produces Gaussian beams with a large ellipticity which are required, e.g., for the application in autostereoscopic outdoor displays. For this application only very low optical output powers of a few milliwatts per laser diode are required and therefore we have developed tailored low-power laser diode chips with short cavity lengths of 250 μm for red and 300 μm for blue. Our RGB laser light module including the three laser diode chips, associated monitor photodiodes, the common microlens, as well as the hermetically sealed package has a total volume of only 0.45 cm³, which to our knowledge is the smallest RGB laser light source to date.

Design and evaluation of a large-scale autostereoscopic multi-view laser display for outdoor applications

State-of-the-art autostereoscopic displays often do not comply with mandatory requirements for outdoor use, because of their limitations in size, luminance, number of 3D viewing zones, and maximum 3D viewing distances. In this paper we propose a concept for a modular autostereoscopic multi-view laser display with sunlight readable luminance, theoretically up to several thousand 3D viewing zones, and maximum 3D viewing distances of up to 70 meters. Each picture element contains three laser diodes, a cylindrical microlens, as well as a MEMS mirror, which deflects the collimated light beams to the left and right eyes of multiple viewers in a time-multiplexed manner. To demonstrate the principle, we have developed a prototype display with 5 x 3 picture elements.

160-Gb/s CWDM capacity upgrade using 2.5-Gb/s rated uncooled directly Modulated lasers

Uncooled 2.5-Gb/s directly modulated lasers are used to demonstrate a coarse wavelength-division-multiplexed (CWDM) transmission capacity of 160 Gb/s. All 16 CWDM channels, modulated at 10 Gb/s, are simultaneously transmitted over 40 km of uncompensated low-water-peak nonzero dispersion fiber. Operation with bit-error ratio BER<1E-9 is demonstrated for all 16 channels from room temperature to at least 65/spl deg/C.

Application of single-mode fiber-coupled receivers in optical satellite to high-altitude platform communications

In a free-space optical communication system employing fiber-optic components, the phasefront distortions induced by atmospheric turbulence limit the efficiency with which the laser beam is coupled into a single-mode fiber. We analyze different link scenarios including a geostationary (GEO) satellite, a high-altitude platform (HAP), and an optical ground station (OGS). Single-mode coupled optically preamplified receivers allow for efficient suppression of background noise and highly sensitive detection. While GEO-to-OGS communication suffers from atmospheric turbulence, we demonstrate that GEO-to-HAP communication allows for close to diffraction-limited performance when applying tip-tilt correction.

Optical Backhaul Links between HAPs and Satellites in the Multi-Gigabit Regime

In free-space optical communication links through the atmosphere, turbulence induced effects limit system performance. We analyze link scenarios between satellites and high-altitude platforms (HAPs), where the atmospheric impact on a laser beam is less severe than directly above ground. The feasibility of optical communication links through the atmosphere between HAPs and geostationary (GEO) satellites for data rates up to 10.7 Gbit/s when using forward-error correction (FEC) is shown.

Large-scale autostereoscopic outdoor display

State-of-the-art autostereoscopic displays are often limited in size, effective brightness, number of 3D viewing zones, and maximum 3D viewing distances, all of which are mandatory requirements for large-scale outdoor displays. Conventional autostereoscopic indoor concepts like lenticular lenses or parallax barriers cannot simply be adapted for these screens due to the inherent loss of effective resolution and brightness, which would reduce both image quality and sunlight readability. We have developed a modular autostereoscopic multi-view laser display concept with sunlight readable effective brightness, theoretically up to several thousand 3D viewing zones, and maximum 3D viewing distances of up to 60 meters. For proof-of-concept purposes a prototype display with two pixels was realized. Due to various manufacturing tolerances each individual pixel has slightly different optical properties, and hence the 3D image quality of the display has to be calculated stochastically. In this paper we present the corresponding stochastic model, we evaluate the simulation and measurement results of the prototype display, and we calculate the achievable autostereoscopic image quality to be expected for our concept.

High-speed optical characterization of intensity and phase dynamics of a 1.55 /spl mu/m VCSEL for short-reach applications

Using sonograms and phase retrieval we experimentally investigate the pattern dependence of the amplitude and phase dynamics, the linewidth enhancement factor, and the chirp of a data-modulated 1.55 /spl mu/m vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL).

Two-dimensional optical beam deflector operated by wavelength tuning

A new method based on an optical delay line structure is proposed for two-dimensional raster optical beam steering. For one-dimensional beam steering, the laser beam to be deflected is split into N co-directional sub-beams of equal intensity with the aid of a plane-parallel plate. These sub-beams experience a relative time delay, which translates into a phase difference, thus forming a phased array. When the laser wavelength is tuned, the relative phase varies and the far-field interference footprint can be steered across a receive plane. By employing two plane-parallel plates in series, the described scheme can be extended to produce a two-dimensional N x N array of sub-beams, allowing two-dimensional beam steering via wavelength tuning. In this case, wavelength tuning over a larger range leads to a linear deflection which repeats itself in a raster-like fashion. One direction of deflection repeats itself multiple times as wavelength is scanned over larger range, that is, a raster effect. In this paper, the principle is theoretically derived and formulated, and the preliminary experimental results with four sub-beams are presented.

Analysis of thermal vias in molded interconnect devices

The ongoing miniaturization of micro-opto-electro-mechanical-systems requires compact multifunctional packaging solutions like offered by the three-dimensional MID (molded interconnect device) technology which combines integrated electronic circuitry and mechanical support structures directly into one compact housing. Due to the inherently large thermal resistance of thermoplastic MID substrate materials, temperature-sensitive applications require carefully arranged thermal vias in order to reduce the thermal resistance of the packaging effectively. This paper presents the analysis and optimization of various laser-drilled thermal via design parameters of MIDs including hole diameter, pitch, plating thickness of the Cu/Ni/Au metallization layers as well as the void level of the filling material inside the vias.