Dual-mirror adaptive-optics fiber coupling for free-space coherent optical communication

Abstract

The wavefront distortion caused by atmospheric turbulence leads to the decrease of the coupling efficiency of spatial light to optical fiber. Adaptive optics technology was employed to improve the coupling efficiency of free-space coherent optical communication. Accordingly, the effect of the discrete distorted wavefront on the coupling efficiency could be determined. The experimental results showed that the average coupling power was −31.97, −31.42, −30.79, −32.05, and −35.31 dBm when turbulence strength D / r0 was 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5, respectively. After eliminating the noncommon path aberration, the fiber coupling optical power increased from −35 to −27 dBm. After the optical wavefront was transmitted at indoor (0.5 m), 600 m, 1, 5, 10, and 100 km, the coupling efficiency increased from 10.1%, 1.3%, 11.4%, 2.8%, 7.2%, and 8.2% to 95.2%, 83.4%, 93.5%, 56.7%, and 42.4%, respectively, after wavefront correction. This will improve the performance of free-space coherent optical communication system.