Page 98 - SAMENA Trends - October-December 2024
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TECHNOLOGY UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS

        Faster Communication  with Earth  Possible Through  Record-Sensitive

        Receiver


        In  a  significant  advance  for  space   overcome the electronic noise in receivers.   used  to  implement  the  amplifier.  Our
        communication,  researchers  at  Chalmers   The Chalmers team previously developed a   simplification  of  the  transmitter  means
        University of Technology in Sweden have   noise-free optical amplifier, but its practical   that  already  existing optical transmitters
        developed a new system featuring a silent   implementation had been hindered by the   on board  satellites  and probes could be
        amplifier  and  a  record-sensitive  receiver,   demanding requirements it placed on both   used together with the noise-free amplifier
        enabling  the  faster  and   clearer  transmitter and receiver.  The current   in a receiver on Earth,” explained Rasmus
        transmission of images, videos, and data   design simplifies these demands, with the   Larsson, Postdoctoral  Researcher  in
        from space  probes  to Earth using light.   receiver on  Earth generating  two of the   Photonics at Chalmers and a lead author
        This development  holds  potential for   three  light frequencies  necessary for   of the  study.  This progress brings
        enhancing long-distance optical links that   noise-free  amplification,  allowing  the   Chalmers”  silent  amplifier  closer  to
        face power  loss and interference  during   transmitter to produce  only a  single   practical  use  in  space-Earth
        the journey to Earth. Optical communication   frequency.  This adjustment means the   communication links, which could alleviate
        using laser beams is increasingly favored   noise-free  amplifier  can  now  be  utilized   a  bottleneck currently facing  space
        over radio waves for space applications, as   with  a  standard  laser  transmitter,  agencies, referred to as “the science return
        it suffers from less signal loss over vast   potentially  allowing  existing  optical  bottleneck.”  This  bottleneck  arises  from
        distances. However, even light-based   transmitters on space probes to function   the challenges in  rapidly transmitting
        signals diminish in strength  over the   seamlessly with the new system on Earth.   scientific  data  from  space  back  to  Earth.
        journey, requiring highly sensitive receivers   “This  phase-sensitive  optical  amplifier   NASA has highlighted this bottleneck as a
        on Earth to detect these weakened signals.   does  not,  in principle,  generate  any extra   critical issue in  the data  transmission
        The new system by Chalmers researchers   noise, which contributes  to  a  more   chain. “We believe that our  system is an
        seeks to meet this need  by  providing a   sensitive receiver and that error-free data   important step forward towards a practical
        pathway  for higher-speed,  error-free   transmission is achieved even when  the   solution that can resolve this bottleneck,”
        transmissions over distances  such  as   power of the signal is lower. By generating   said Andrekson. The Chalmers team plans
        those from the Moon or Mars to Earth. “We   two extra waves of different frequencies in   to advance this technology by testing the
        can demonstrate a new system for optical   the receiver, rather than as previously done   optical  communication  system  in  field
        communication  with  a  receiver  that  is   in  the transmitter,  a  conventional laser   conditions  on Earth, followed  by trials  in
        more sensitive than has been demonstrated   transmitter with one  wave can now be   satellite-to-Earth communication links.
        previously at high data rates. This means
        that you can get a faster and more error-
        free transfer of information over very long
        distances, for example when you want to
        send  high-resolution  images or videos
        from the Moon or Mars to Earth,” said Peter
        Andrekson, Professor of  Photonics at
        Chalmers and one of the lead authors of
        the study, which was recently published in
        the scientific journal “Optica'. At the heart
        of  the  system  is  an  optical  amplifier
        designed  to  enhance  the signal  with
        minimal noise, making data transmission
        more  reliable.  As  light spreads  and
        weakens with  distance -  similar  to a
        flashlight beam - signals sent from space
        are often too faint upon reaching Earth to















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