Ultrahigh-capacity access network architecture for mobile data backhaul using integrated W-band wireless and free-space optical links with OAM multiplexing.

Abstract

In this Letter, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel access network architecture using hybrid integrated W-band wireless and free-space optical (FSO) links with orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing. The transmission of a 20 GBd quadrature phase-shift keying signal modulated over 10 OAM modes has been demonstrated over a 0.6 m FSO link and a 0.4 m W-band wireless link at 100 GHz. The experimental results show that the architecture can support future ultrahigh-capacity, converged optical-wireless access networks that require extra bandwidth and system flexibility in mobile data networks.