Lasers for coherent optical satellite links with large dynamics

TL;DR

This paper reports the development of a highly stable, tunable laser system capable of supporting coherent optical satellite links with large frequency sweeps, robustness, and atmospheric turbulence-limited performance.

Contribution

The authors experimentally realize a laser system that combines high frequency stability, large controlled frequency sweeps, and portability for satellite optical communication.

Findings

Achieved frequency stability of a few parts in 10^{-14}

Enabled large frequency sweeps of +/- 12 GHz at >100 MHz/s

System is compact and robust for field deployment

Abstract

We present the experimental realization of a laser system for ground to satellite optical Doppler ranging at the atmospheric turbulence limit. Such a system needs to display good frequency stability (a few parts in 10^{-14}) whilst allowing large and well controlled frequency sweeps of +/- 12 GHz at rates exceeding 100 MHz/s. Furthermore it needs to be sufficiently compact and robust for transportation to different astronomical observation sites where it is to be interfaced with satellite ranging telescopes. We demonstrate that our system fulfills those requirements and should therefore allow operation of ground to low Earth orbit satellite coherent optical links limited only by atmospheric turbulence.