Free–Space Optics – Propagation and Communication

Olivier Bouchet works in the field of free-space optics at France Telecom Research and Development. Herve Sizun is a specialist of the electromagnetic wave propagation at France Telecom. Christian Boisrobert is one of the designers of the first digital link using optical fibres in France at France Telecom. He is a professor at the University of Nantes. Frederique de Fornal is the director of Research at CNRS and is Head of the Near Field Optics Group at the University of Bourgogne. Pierre-Noel Favennec works as a consultant engineer and is the author of numerous scientific books and papers. He is also the Chairman of URSI France.

Introduction. Chapter 1. History of Optical Telecommunications. 1.1 Some Definitions. 1.2 The Prehistory of Telecommunications. 1.3 The Optical Air Telegraph. 1.4 The Code. 1.5 The Optical Telegraph. 1.6 The heliograph or solar telegraph: A portable Telecommunication System. 1.7 Alexander Graham Bell's Photophone. Chapter 2. Basic Principles of Electromagnetism. 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 Maxwell's Equations in an Unspecified Medium. 2.3 Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves in an Isotropic and Linear Homogeneous Medium. 2.4 Energy Associated with a Wave. 2.5 Propagation of a Wave in a Non-Homgeneous Medium. 2.6 Coherent and Incoherent Waves. 2.7 Relations Between Classical Electromagnetism and Geometrical Optics. 2.8 The Electromagnetic Spectrum. 2.9 Units and Scales. 2.10 Examples of Sources in the visible Light and Near Visible Light. 2.11 Conclusion. Chapter 3. Emission and Reception of Optical Beams. 3.1 Forewors. 3.2 Introduction. 3.3 Radiometry: Basic Concepts. 3.4 Optical Spectral Windows, Materials and Eye-safety. 3.5 Transmitters. 3.6 Photodetectors. Chapter 4. Line of Sight Propagation. 4.1 Influence of the Propagation Environment. 4.2 Visibility. 4.3 Atmospheric Attenuation. 4.4 Meteorological Disturbances. 4.5 Free-space Optical Links. Chapter 5. Propagation of an Optical Beam in Cinfined Space. 5.1 Introduction. 5.2 Various Mechanisms of Propagation. 5.3 Propagation Channel. 5.4 Modeling. 5.5 Additional Power Required to Reach a Given Bit Error Rate. 5.6 Optical Noise. 5.7 Comparison of Infrared and Radio Media and Conclusion. Chapter 6. Optical Communicatio. 6.1 A Reminder About Digitization. 6.2 Examples of Laser Applications Outside Optical Communications. 6.3 Inter-satellite or Earth-satellite Optical Communications. 6.4 Free-space Optical Communications. Chapter 7. Safety and Confidentiality. 7.1 Safety. 7.2 Confidentiality. Bibliography. Index.