Researchers working to reduce atmospheric interference

  • Published
  • By Maria Callier
  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research Public Affairs
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFPN) --  The Air Force is funding an effort to reduce atmospheric interference in free space laser communication.

A team of scientists has shown new ways to deal with fading effects that occur when light interferes with itself as it propagates through atmospheric turbulence. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research is subsidizing the team's efforts.

Led by David G. Voelz of the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at New Mexico State University, researchers have developed a wave optics simulation that is the first to accurately model a "partially coherent beam." Their work uses fiber optics to produce partially coherent beams from laser light, which initially is time- and space-coherent.

Laser beams are potential tools for free space communications as well as optical tracking, targeting and other Air Force applications.

"If successful, our work can lead to free space communication systems that can carry high bandwidth data, that are almost impossible to intercept," Mr. Voelz said.

Officials say it is a challenging problem to find a simple, reliable and cost-effective way to create a laser beam flexible in the sense that its properties can be controlled to maximize the data rates under a variety of conditions.

"Free space laser communication comes with an array of difficult issues -- pointing, tracking, maintaining the link, getting the beam through fog, dust or clouds. But the advantages are tremendous and we feel the things we are doing are part of the solution," Mr. Voelz said.

By funding research efforts for the Air Force in relevant scientific areas such as laser communication, AFOSR continues to expand the horizon of scientific knowledge. AFOSR is part of Air Force Materiel Command's Air Force Research Laboratory. 

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