Free-space terabit/s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombs
Abstract Coherent frequency microcombs, generated in nonlinear high-Q microresonators and driven by a single continuous-wave laser, have enabled several scientific breakthroughs in the past decade, thanks to their high intrinsic phase coherence and individual comb line powers. Here, we report terabi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-05-01
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| Series: | eLight |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43593-025-00082-0 |
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| author | Wenting Wang Hao Liu Jiagui Wu James F. McMillan Dong IL Lee Futai Hu Wenzheng Liu Jinghui Yang Hangbo Yang Abhinav Kumar Vinod Yahya H. Ezzeldin Christina Fragouli Mingbin Yu Patrick Guo-Qiang Lo Dim-Lee Kwong Devin S. Kahrs Ninghua Zhu Chee Wei Wong |
| author_facet | Wenting Wang Hao Liu Jiagui Wu James F. McMillan Dong IL Lee Futai Hu Wenzheng Liu Jinghui Yang Hangbo Yang Abhinav Kumar Vinod Yahya H. Ezzeldin Christina Fragouli Mingbin Yu Patrick Guo-Qiang Lo Dim-Lee Kwong Devin S. Kahrs Ninghua Zhu Chee Wei Wong |
| author_sort | Wenting Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Coherent frequency microcombs, generated in nonlinear high-Q microresonators and driven by a single continuous-wave laser, have enabled several scientific breakthroughs in the past decade, thanks to their high intrinsic phase coherence and individual comb line powers. Here, we report terabit-per-second-scale coherent data communications over a free-space atmospheric link, using a platicon frequency microcomb, employing wavelength- and polarization-division multiplexing for next-generation optical wireless networks. Spanning more than 55 optical carriers with 115 GHz channel spacing, we report the first free-space coherent communication link using a frequency microcomb, achieving up to 8.21 Tbit/s aggregate data transmission at a 20 Gbaud symbol rate per carrier over 160 m, even under log-normal turbulent conditions. Utilizing 16-state quadrature amplitude modulation, we demonstrate retrieved constellation maps across the broad microcomb spectrum, achieving bit-error rates below both hard- and soft-decision thresholds for forward-error correction. Next, we examine a wavelength-division multiplexing free-space passive optical network as a baseline for free-space fronthaul, achieving an aggregate data rate of up to 5.21 Tbit/s and a field-tested spectral efficiency of 1.29 bit/s/Hz in the microcomb-based atmospheric link. We also quantify experimental power penalties of ≈ 3.8 dB at the error-correction threshold, relative to the theoretical additive white Gaussian noise limit. Furthermore, we introduce the first-ever demonstration of master–slave free-space carrier phase retrieval with frequency microcombs, and the compensation for turbulence-induced intensity scintillation and pointing error fluctuations, to improve end-to-end symbol error rates. This work provides a foundational platform for broadband vertical heterogeneous connectivity, terrestrial backbone links, and ground-satellite communication. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a0232cbca81f4324b5e9f8a938ac3e68 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2097-1710 2662-8643 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
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| series | eLight |
| spelling | doaj-art-a0232cbca81f4324b5e9f8a938ac3e682025-08-20T01:52:22ZengSpringerOpeneLight2097-17102662-86432025-05-015111610.1186/s43593-025-00082-0Free-space terabit/s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombsWenting Wang0Hao Liu1Jiagui Wu2James F. McMillan3Dong IL Lee4Futai Hu5Wenzheng Liu6Jinghui Yang7Hangbo Yang8Abhinav Kumar Vinod9Yahya H. Ezzeldin10Christina Fragouli11Mingbin Yu12Patrick Guo-Qiang Lo13Dim-Lee Kwong14Devin S. Kahrs15Ninghua Zhu16Chee Wei Wong17Fang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaAlgorithmic Research in Network Information, University of CaliforniaAlgorithmic Research in Network Information, University of CaliforniaInstitute of Microelectronics, a*STARInstitute of Microelectronics, a*STARInstitute of Microelectronics, a*STARTektronixInstitute of Intelligent Photonics, NanKai UniversityFang Lu Mesoscopic Optics and Quantum Electronics Laboratory, University of CaliforniaAbstract Coherent frequency microcombs, generated in nonlinear high-Q microresonators and driven by a single continuous-wave laser, have enabled several scientific breakthroughs in the past decade, thanks to their high intrinsic phase coherence and individual comb line powers. Here, we report terabit-per-second-scale coherent data communications over a free-space atmospheric link, using a platicon frequency microcomb, employing wavelength- and polarization-division multiplexing for next-generation optical wireless networks. Spanning more than 55 optical carriers with 115 GHz channel spacing, we report the first free-space coherent communication link using a frequency microcomb, achieving up to 8.21 Tbit/s aggregate data transmission at a 20 Gbaud symbol rate per carrier over 160 m, even under log-normal turbulent conditions. Utilizing 16-state quadrature amplitude modulation, we demonstrate retrieved constellation maps across the broad microcomb spectrum, achieving bit-error rates below both hard- and soft-decision thresholds for forward-error correction. Next, we examine a wavelength-division multiplexing free-space passive optical network as a baseline for free-space fronthaul, achieving an aggregate data rate of up to 5.21 Tbit/s and a field-tested spectral efficiency of 1.29 bit/s/Hz in the microcomb-based atmospheric link. We also quantify experimental power penalties of ≈ 3.8 dB at the error-correction threshold, relative to the theoretical additive white Gaussian noise limit. Furthermore, we introduce the first-ever demonstration of master–slave free-space carrier phase retrieval with frequency microcombs, and the compensation for turbulence-induced intensity scintillation and pointing error fluctuations, to improve end-to-end symbol error rates. This work provides a foundational platform for broadband vertical heterogeneous connectivity, terrestrial backbone links, and ground-satellite communication.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43593-025-00082-0Frequency microcombsTerabit/s data rateFree-space optical linkCoherent wireless fronthaul |
| spellingShingle | Wenting Wang Hao Liu Jiagui Wu James F. McMillan Dong IL Lee Futai Hu Wenzheng Liu Jinghui Yang Hangbo Yang Abhinav Kumar Vinod Yahya H. Ezzeldin Christina Fragouli Mingbin Yu Patrick Guo-Qiang Lo Dim-Lee Kwong Devin S. Kahrs Ninghua Zhu Chee Wei Wong Free-space terabit/s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombs eLight Frequency microcombs Terabit/s data rate Free-space optical link Coherent wireless fronthaul |
| title | Free-space terabit/s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombs |
| title_full | Free-space terabit/s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombs |
| title_fullStr | Free-space terabit/s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Free-space terabit/s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombs |
| title_short | Free-space terabit/s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombs |
| title_sort | free space terabit s coherent optical links via platicon frequency microcombs |
| topic | Frequency microcombs Terabit/s data rate Free-space optical link Coherent wireless fronthaul |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43593-025-00082-0 |
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