Quantum Cascade Laser-Based Free Space Optical Communications

The advent of the quantum cascade laser (QCL) with emission wavelengths available in the infrared range from 3 μm through more than 100 μm opens up the possibility of exploiting infrared atmospheric transparency windows for free space optical communications. In an effort to establish the efficacy of using directly modulated QCLs for free space communications we have conducted a series of investigations that demonstrate the potential advantages of this technology. In these experiments we first establish that the QCL has very high modulation bandwidth. We then implement a practical free space communications link that under conditions of atmospheric fog, dust and other obscurants offers significant transparency advantage when compared with near infrared wavelength sources presently used in commercial free space optical communications links.