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Photonics
Special Issues
New Perspectives in Free-Space Optical Communications and Networks
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New Perspectives in Free-Space Optical Communications and Networks

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Communication and Network".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2024) | Viewed by 4012

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Shane Walsh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Interests: adaptive optics; optical ground stations

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Free-space communications at optical frequencies will bring about a paradigm shift in global communications, relieving the bottleneck caused by radio frequency (RF) communications and its limitations. Similar to the advent of optical fibre communications, free-space data capacity will be increased by orders of magnitude, and the high directionality of optical beams affords increased security and negates the need for spectrum regulation.

Overcoming the challenges of free-space optical communications has drawn expertise beyond those traditionally found in the telecommunications industry, calling on researchers from fields such as astronomy and adaptive optics, machine learning, and others. This Special Issue aims to showcase these new perspectives in free-space optical communications, and we invite theoretical and experimental papers on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

  • adaptive optics and other turbulence mitigation techniques;
  • free-space optical communication systems and network architectures;
  • novel modulation/multiplexing techniques such as modulating retroreflectors;
  • ultra-high data rate demonstrations;
  • machine learning/AI-assisted weather forecasting/scheduling for optical ground stations.

We encourage submissions on any topic of relevance to the implementation of free-space (unguided) optical communications.

Dr. Shane Walsh
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • free-space optical communications
  • adaptive optics
  • atmospheric turbulence
  • machine learning
  • network design and optimization
  • modulation/demodulation
  • optical ground station
  • satellite communication

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 7842 KiB  
Article
Reinforcement Learning Environment for Wavefront Sensorless Adaptive Optics in Single-Mode Fiber Coupled Optical Satellite Communications Downlinks
by Payam Parvizi, Runnan Zou, Colin Bellinger, Ross Cheriton and Davide Spinello
Photonics 2023, 10(12), 1371; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10121371 - 13 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1234
Abstract
Optical satellite communications (OSC) downlinks can support much higher bandwidths than radio-frequency channels. However, atmospheric turbulence degrades the optical beam wavefront, leading to reduced data transfer rates. In this study, we propose using reinforcement learning (RL) as a lower-cost alternative to standard wavefront [...] Read more.
Optical satellite communications (OSC) downlinks can support much higher bandwidths than radio-frequency channels. However, atmospheric turbulence degrades the optical beam wavefront, leading to reduced data transfer rates. In this study, we propose using reinforcement learning (RL) as a lower-cost alternative to standard wavefront sensor-based solutions. We estimate that RL has the potential to reduce system latency, while lowering system costs by omitting the wavefront sensor and low-latency wavefront processing electronics. This is achieved by adopting a control policy learned through interactions with a cost-effective and ultra-fast readout of a low-dimensional photodetector array, rather than relying on a wavefront phase profiling camera. However, RL-based wavefront sensorless adaptive optics (AO) for OSC downlinks faces challenges relating to prediction latency, sample efficiency, and adaptability. To gain a deeper insight into these challenges, we have developed and shared the first OSC downlink RL environment and evaluated a diverse set of deep RL algorithms in the environment. Our results indicate that the Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm outperforms the Soft Actor–Critic (SAC) and Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) algorithms. Moreover, PPO converges to within 86% of the maximum performance achievable by the predominant Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor-based AO system. Our findings indicate the potential of RL in replacing wavefront sensor-based AO while reducing the cost of OSC downlinks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Free-Space Optical Communications and Networks)
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Review

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24 pages, 2074 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of UAV-Assisted FSO Relay Systems
by Nwanze J. Nzekwu, Marco A. Fernandes, Gil M. Fernandes, Paulo P. Monteiro and Fernando P. Guiomar
Photonics 2024, 11(3), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11030274 - 20 Mar 2024
Viewed by 748
Abstract
The evolving requirements of next-generation mobile communications networks can be met by leveraging vertically deployed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms integrated with Free Space Optical communications (FSO). This integration offers a flexible and scalable architecture capable of delivering high-rate communication without requiring licenses [...] Read more.
The evolving requirements of next-generation mobile communications networks can be met by leveraging vertically deployed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms integrated with Free Space Optical communications (FSO). This integration offers a flexible and scalable architecture capable of delivering high-rate communication without requiring licenses while aligning with the multi-gigabit paradigm. In recent times, the increasing availability of commercial aerial platforms has facilitated experimental demonstrations of UAV-enabled FSO systems, which play a crucial role in proposed backhaul networks and point-to-point communications by overcoming Line-of-Sight (LOS) challenges. These systems can be rapidly deployed to meet sudden demand scenarios. This document provides a comprehensive review of relevant field demonstrations of UAV-enabled FSO relay systems, with a particular focus on commercially available, free-flying platforms that are driving advancements in this domain. It categorizes the different platforms by considering the operational altitudes of these systems and their payload actuation capacity, which determines their adaptability to variables. The analysis aims to distill the design considerations that lead to optimal performance regarding communications throughput and other relevant metrics. Moreover, it also attempts to highlight areas where design choices have fallen short, indicating gaps in current research efforts toward the widespread adoption of UAV-enabled FSO relay systems. Finally, this work endeavors to outline effective design considerations, guidelines, and recommendations to bridge these identified gaps. It serves as a valuable reference guide for researchers involved in developing UAV-enabled FSO relay systems, enabling them to make informed decisions and pave the way for the successful implementation of such systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Free-Space Optical Communications and Networks)
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14 pages, 797 KiB  
Review
Atmospheric Pre-Compensation of Ground-to-Space Communications with Adaptive Optics: Past, Present and Future—A Field Review
by Noelia Martinez
Photonics 2023, 10(7), 858; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10070858 - 24 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1494
Abstract
Conventionally used in astronomy, adaptive optics (AO) systems measure and correct for turbulence and, therefore, have the capability to mitigate the impact of the atmosphere on the ground-to-space communication links. Historically, there have been two main streams, respectively, advocating to use or not [...] Read more.
Conventionally used in astronomy, adaptive optics (AO) systems measure and correct for turbulence and, therefore, have the capability to mitigate the impact of the atmosphere on the ground-to-space communication links. Historically, there have been two main streams, respectively, advocating to use or not use adaptive optics on optical communications. This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the field of AO-based uplink pre-compensation. It will cover the technical challenges associated with uplink correction, provide an overview of the state-of-the-art research and demonstrations from the early days to the present, and discuss the future prospects of AO-based uplink pre-compensation and potential trade-offs between performance, cost, and operational considerations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Free-Space Optical Communications and Networks)
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