On the optimum far-field irradiance distribution using Laguerre-Gaussian beams for intersatellite free-space optical communications

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel approach to improve the performance of free-space optical communication intersatellite links by combining fundamental Gaussian and higher-order Laguerre-Gaussian beams. We present a comprehensive mathematical model to analyze the system’s performance, including received power statistics, average bit error probability, and outage probability. To generate the desired beam profiles, we propose an optical system capable of creating a superposition of orthogonally polarized Laguerre-Gaussian beams that yield the far-field irradiance distributions that optimize the communication performance. Our theoretical analysis demonstrates that the combination of fundamental Gaussian and higher-order modes can significantly enhance system performance compared to conventional fundamental Gaussian beams. In some scenarios, the proposed approach offers savings on the order of 20% to 40% of the required transmitted power.