Optical communication beyond orbital angular momentum.
Mode division multiplexing (MDM) is mooted as a technology to address future bandwidth issues, and has been successfully demonstrated in free space using spatial modes with orbital angular momentum (OAM). To further increase the data transmission rate, more degrees of freedom are required to form a densely packed mode space. Here we move beyond OAM and demonstrate multiplexing and demultiplexing using both the radial and azimuthal degrees of freedom. We achieve this with a holographic approach that allows over 100 modes to be encoded on a single hologram, across a wide wavelength range, in a wavelength independent manner. Our results offer a new tool that will prove useful in realizing higher bit rates for next generation optical networks.
University of Carthage, Engineering School of Communication of Tunis (Sup'Com), GreS'Com Laboratory, Ghazala Technopark, 2083, Ariana, Tunisia.
Abderrahmen
A
Trichili
School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, South Africa.
Carmelo
C
Rosales-Guzmán
School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, South Africa.|CSIR National Laser Centre, PO Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Angela
A
Dudley
School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, South Africa.
Bienvenu
B
Ndagano
University of Carthage, Engineering School of Communication of Tunis (Sup'Com), GreS'Com Laboratory, Ghazala Technopark, 2083, Ariana, Tunisia.
Amine
A
Ben Salem
University of Carthage, Engineering School of Communication of Tunis (Sup'Com), GreS'Com Laboratory, Ghazala Technopark, 2083, Ariana, Tunisia.|Institut Mines-Télécom/Télécom SudParis, 9 rue Charles Fourier, 91011 Evry, France.
Mourad
M
Zghal
School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, South Africa.
Andrew
A
Forbes