Nonmechanical two-user tracking method of space-polarization division using the liquid crystal optical phased array

Abstract

We propose a two-user tracking method called space-polarization division to enable simultaneously multiple terminals tracking in the field of free space laser communications. This method is based on the nonmechanical beam steering device of liquid crystal optical phased array, which is capable of continuously laser beam pointing and multiple beams generating. An optical architecture of two-user access is presented to show a one-to-two communication link between the relay satellite terminal and user terminals. The two-user tracking strategy is modeled numerically and experimentally verified to show the feasible and agile two-user tracking with a good accuracy less than 50 microradians which meet the requirements of coarse tracking.