Abstract

The spatial coherence of a laser beam depends on the number and the relative weights of the spatial modes supported by the laser waveguide. By electro-optic modulation of the cavity geometry, the spatial-coherence function can be modulated between zero and one at predictable locations across the beam and thus carry information. A simple integrated-optic interferometer is used to decode the signal. Spatial coherence can be modulated independently of the beam intensity and can be used as another level of multiplexing in addition to amplitude modulation, wavelength-division modulation, etc. One can implement a free-space optical interconnection scheme by carrying data on the intensity and address information on the spatial coherence.

© 1995 Optical Society of America

Robustness of spatial-coherence multiplexing under receiver misalignment

Lawrence J. Pelz and Betty Lise Anderson
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Case for refracting rather than diffracting optics in spatially variant interconnections

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Highly efficient interconnection for use with a multistage optical switching network with orthogonally polarized data and address information

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Coherent optical characterization of magnetooptical spatial light modulators

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