Introduction High Energy Lasers (HELs) share many similarities with FSO systems, in that both have the purpose of providing light energy to a specific location at distance and operate on much the same ...

Summary A Gaussian beam is an electromagnetic beam, such as light, with a field distribution that conforms to a Gaussian function, similar in shape to a normal distribution. Its fundamental mode, the ...

Summary Rayleigh Rayleigh scattering is the scattering of light or other electromagnetic radiation by particles in the Earth's atmosphere that are much smaller than the wavelength of the light. These ...

Summary Fast Steering Mirrors or adaptive optics are precision-controlled, rapidly adjustable mirrors, crucial in Free Space Optics (FSO) systems for stabilizing and directing laser beams over long ...

Heterodyne Detection Heterodyne detection, also known as coherent detection, is a method used in Free Space Optics (FSO) to enhance signal detection. It works by combining an incoming optical signal ...

Coherent Light Sources Coherent light sources are lasers that emit light with a high degree of coherence, meaning the light waves are in phase both spatially and temporally. In the context of CV-QKD ...

Overview Researchers at the McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, are developing a novel quantum photonic-dimer laser that leverages quantum entanglement to enhance laser ...

Summary Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution (CV-QKD) is a type of quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol that uses continuous variables, such as the quadratures of the electromagnetic field, ...

Summary Discrete Variable Quantum Key Distribution (DV-QKD) uses quantum mechanics as a method for distribution of encryption keys for secured communications. QKD can provide improved resistance to ...

OverviewThe ESA Transportable Optical Ground Station (ETOGS) is a shipping container sized portable laser ground station testbed for use with satellites such as NASA's Psyche mission. Potential use ...