Photovoltaically powered modulating retroreflector optical data links

Author

Walters, R.J. ; Warner, J.H. ; Summers, G.P. ; Gilbreath, G.C. ; Murphy, J.L. ; Rabinovich, W.S. ; Messenger, S.R. ; Lorentzen, J.R. ; Wilt, D.M. ; Krasowski, M.J. ; Jenkins, P.P. ; Smith, M.A.

Author_Institution

US Naval Res. Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA

fYear

2005

Firstpage

735

Lastpage

738

Abstract

The development of a photovoltaically (PV) powered, laser communication system that constitutes a miniature, highly energy-efficient wireless communication technology is described. The technology is based on the direct integration of a multi-quantum well (MQW) modulating retroreflector (MRR) optical communication node and a monolithically integrated module (MIM) PV power source. The MQW MRR optical data link exploits the shift in the MQW absorption peak under an applied reverse bias to modulate incident laser light enabling binary encoding of data for transfer. A MIM consists of many individual solar cells monolithically integrated on a single substrate and offers the design versatility necessary to allow efficient electrical conversion of both incident sunlight and the system laser-light and the ability to match the voltage output to the MRR requirements. A description of the development of the MRR and MIM components of the system along with the power management and distribution circuitry is given. Results of bench-top demonstrations of the operational system are presented.

Keywords

integrated optics; monolithic integrated circuits; optical communication equipment; optical links; photovoltaic power systems; quantum well devices; solar cells; absorption peak; bench-top demonstration; binary encoding; electrical conversion; highly energy-efficient wireless communication technology; laser communication system; miniature wireless communication technology; modulating retroreflector optical data links; monolithically integrated module PV power source; multiquantum well modulating retroreflector optical communication node; photovoltaically powered optical data links; power distribution circuitry; power management; reverse bias; solar cells; Absorption; Communications technology; Energy efficiency; Optical fiber communication; Optical modulation; Photovoltaic systems; Power lasers; Quantum well devices; Solar power generation; Wireless communication;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2005. Conference Record of the Thirty-first IEEE

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8707-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2005.1488237

Filename

1488237