The increasing demand for secure and efficient high-bandwidth data transfer between satellites and earth-bound systems is driving the rapid development of optical communication using lasers. Traditional radio frequency (RF) communication faces significant limitations in meeting the bandwidth capacities required for the ballooning data volumes from cloud computing, high-resolution earth observation, scientific missions, and broadband internet constellations. With its significantly higher bandwidth capacity, optical communication offers a solution to this bottleneck and enables data rates that are orders of magnitude faster than RF.

Security is another key driver here. Laser beams are highly focused, creating a narrow beamwidth that is much harder to intercept or jam compared to RF signals, thus enhancing the data security of sensitive information. This inherent security advantage is vital for sensitive military, intelligence, and commercial data. The reduced susceptibility to interference from terrestrial sources and atmospheric noise further strengthens the security and reliability of optical links. Quantum communication is the next step to secure encrypted communication in critical domains preventing undetected security leaks.

While atmospheric effects like clouds and turbulence present challenges to optical communication, significant progress has been achieved in mitigating the effects of these through techniques like adaptive optics, which correct for atmospheric distortions, or sophisticated multiplexing schemes using coherent or incoherent beam arrays.

Power scaling by beam combining and innovative designs of beam delivery optics are pushing the capability of this technology even further. Multiple tens of kW of laser power with a minimum divergence angle are required, in particular for long-distance transmission in ground-to-satellite communication or deep space optical communication concepts for space missions.

FiberBridge Photonics is a European supplier of these vital components and systems – ranging from high-power fiber components to full kW laser systems based on spectral or coherent beam combining. We look forward to supporting you with our highest quality products!