We present recent progress in developing miniaturized optical transmitters and receiver amplifiers for space communications. Three C-band high-speed optical transmitter designs are presented: a bespoke 300 mW version as part of TNO’s “SmallCat” terminal to fly on-board NordSat and two variants that provide 300 mW and 3 W of optical power complying to standard cubesat form factors. In addition to these transmitters, an ultra-small form factor, high gain, low noise amplifier, for boosting received signals is presented.
We present recent progress in developing miniaturized optical transmitters and receiver amplifiers for space communications. Three C-band high-speed optical transmitter designs are presented: a bespoke 300 mW version as part of TNO’s “SmallCat” terminal to fly on-board NordSat and two variants that provide 300 mW and 3 W of optical power complying to standard cubesat form factors. In addition to these transmitters, an ultra-small form factor, high gain, low noise amplifier, for boosting received signals is presented.
In the aim of access the high angular resolution for mid infrared observations, our team propose to include non linear processes on each arm of an interferometer. This project called ALOHA is now adapted for the L band detection, specially at 3.39 μm. Our team has previously published the first contrast measured in laboratory with such an up-conversion interferometer. The fringe contrast we measured was closed to the theoretical maximum at 100%. In a second step, we investigated the stability of the instrument over several months. The residual drifts are mainly due to the non real-time photometry monitoring.
The ALOHA research program aims to propose a breakthrough generation of instrument for high resolution imaging in astronomy. This fully innovative concept results from our unique skills with a simultaneous competence in nonlinear optics and high resolution imaging with telescope arrays. Acting like a mixer in a radio receiver, the nonlinear process (sum frequency generation) shifts the infrared radiations emitted by the observed astrophysical source to a visible spectral domain. This way, the light beam is more easily processed by mature optical devices and detectors. The compatibility of the nonlinear process with the spatial coherence analysis has been successfully tested through preliminary in lab experiments. Now it’s time to apply this technique in a real astronomical environment. First on-sky results have been observed during the last missions at the CHARA Array.
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