Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed an advanced optical communication system capable of transmitting images, videos, and data from space probes to Earth using light. This innovation addresses the challenges of signal degradation over long distances, requiring highly sensitive receivers and noise-free amplifiers.
The system utilizes optical laser beams instead of radio waves, as light has demonstrated lower signal loss over vast distances. However, optical communication still faces challenges due to signal weakening. The new system features a silent amplifier and an ultra-sensitive receiver, enhancing data transmission capabilities.
Peter Andrekson, a professor of photonics at Chalmers and a co-author of the study published in the journal Optica, stated, "We can demonstrate a new optical communication system with a receiver that is more sensitive than previously shown at high data rates. This allows for faster and more reliable data transfer over long distances, such as sending high-resolution images from the Moon or Mars to Earth."
The researchers' system incorporates an optical amplifier that minimizes noise, allowing for the recovery of weakened signals. Previous efforts to mitigate noise had been unsuccessful in practical applications, but the new approach simplifies the transmitter design while maintaining high sensitivity.
By generating two of the three necessary light frequencies at the receiver instead of the transmitter, the Chalmers team has successfully integrated the noise-free amplifier into the optical communication system. This advancement enables the use of conventional laser transmitters already present on satellites and space probes.
The implications of this technology could address the current bottleneck in data collection from space, known as the "science return bottleneck," which hinders the speed of scientific data transmission. Andrekson expressed optimism, stating, "We believe our system is a significant step toward a practical solution to this bottleneck."
The next phase involves field testing the optical communication system on Earth, followed by trials in communications between satellites and Earth.
The study, titled "Ultralow noise preamplified optical receiver using conventional single wavelength transmission," was authored by Rasmus Larsson, Ruwan U Weerasuriya, and Peter Andrekson, with funding from the Swedish Research Council.