Free Space Optical Polarization De-multiplexing and Multiplexing by means of Conical Refraction

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel polarization de-multiplexing and multiplexing technique using conical refraction in biaxial crystals to significantly increase free space optical communication channel capacity.

Contribution

It presents a new method leveraging conical refraction for polarization multiplexing, demonstrated experimentally to enhance channel capacity in free space optical links.

Findings

Achieved tenfold increase in channel capacity

Validated the technique over a 4-meter propagation distance

Demonstrated practical feasibility of the method

Abstract

Polarization de-multiplexing and multiplexing by means of conical refraction is proposed to increase the channel capacity for free space optical communication applications. The proposed technique is based on the forward-backward optical transform occurring when a light beam propagates consecutively along the optic axes of two identical biaxial crystals with opposite orientations of their conical refraction characteristic vectors. We present experimental proof of usefulness of the conical refraction de-multiplexing and multiplexing technique by increasing in one order of magnitude the channel capacity at optical frequencies in a propagation distance of 4m.