Canadian Collaboration Targets Laser-Powered Communications Breakthrough
A collaboration bringing together partners from government, industry, and academia in Canada aims to move free-space optical (FSO) communication systems further from concept to market. The initiative, a collaboration of the National Research Council Canada (NRC), involves NRC’s Quantum and Nanotechnologies Research Centre, the University of Ottawa, and the company Optiwave Systems Inc.
The collaboration targets the use of FSO communication to provide reliable, high-speed connectivity to rural and remote communities. Under the project umbrella, the partners have developed simulation software that allows technology designers to model and assess the performance of FSO communication systems under development before building prototypes or commercial systems. Using this software, designers can simulate a variety of transmitter and receiver designs, different atmospheric effects, such as scintillation, and a range of weather conditions that can affect transmission speeds.
To help Optiwave test the software to make these kinds of predictions accurately, the NRC and the University of Ottawa developed transmitter and receiver stations. These testing stations also underpin the next iteration of the project, where the focus will shift to laser communication links using high-altitude platforms, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) and faraway satellites. “From that, we can create systems and software models for UAV communications,” said professor Karin Hinzer, University Research Chair in Photonic Devices for Energy at the University of Ottawa.
According to the NRC, the software packages would also be used to model optical power transmission systems, a technology that uses lasers to wirelessly beam energy across distances to power devices such as sensors or drones. Additionally, the power conversion chips in this technology are not limited exclusively to use in systems that beam lasers between fixed points. They can also be installed on mobile platforms to transmit power to UAVs or drones that may be positioned at different distances.
The research team set up laser links between various targets and a miniature observatory on the roof of an NRC building in Ottawa. This 2.5-m station, named ARTEMIS, was originally designed and built to conduct astronomy research but proved it could be readily adapted for studying laser communications links.
“These types of experiments would make it possible to also validate Optiwave's models for longer-range performance across hundreds of kilometers,” said Ross Cheriton, a research officer at NRC’s Quantum and Nanotechnologies Research Centre.
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