Stabilization of signal beam intensity for fault-tolerant automatic routing with double phase conjugate mirrors

Abstract

We have proposed a fault-tolerant automatic routing method with two photorefractive double phase conjugate mirrors (DPCMs) for free space optical communication by now. In this method, a signal beam can be all-optically and automatically switched from a main line to a backup line when the main line is shut off by obstacles. The optical link between a transmitter and a receiver is kept without any electronic devices and complex optical configuration because the adequate communication line is automatically selected by two DPCMs which are generated by the signal beam and support beams in one photorefractive crystal. In this report, we equalize the signal beam intensities on the main line and the backup line to increase the reliability of communication. If a coupling strength ratio between two DPCMs is inappropriate, the signal beam intensities on both lines become inequality and this induces the increase of the bit error rate in beam detection. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the signal beam intensities by changing the coupling strength ratio between two DPCMs. We show that the signal beam intensities on both lines can be equalized completely by using the optimum coupling strength ratio between two DPCMs, e.g. about 1.28 in BaTiO 3 crystal.