Receiver and system for transporting and demodulating complex optical signals

An optical system comprising:

• a transmitter that transmits a complex modulated optical signal comprising a plurality of modes having a plurality of different relative phases including any of wavefront distorted complex modulated signals, and random phase signals over a medium;
• and
• a receiver that receives that complex modulated optical signal and determines information encoded in the complex modulated optical signal, the receiver including:
• a first multimode waveguide that receives the complex modulated optical signal that has been transmitted via the medium and that has been coupled to the first multimode waveguide without any wavefront correction or phase mitigation, wherein the first multimode waveguide is not a single mode fiber, and wherein relative phases of the complex modulated optical signal between multiple modes in the first multimode waveguide are not preserved;
• an optical resonator that receives the complex modulated optical signal from the first multimode waveguide and converts the complex modulated optical signal to an intensity modulated signal;
• a detector that is configured to convert the intensity modulated signal into an electrical signal, the electrical signal having an amplitude indicative of an intensity of the intensity modulated signal from the optical resonator, and that provides a detected signal;
• and
• a second multimode waveguide coupling an output of the optical resonator to the detector and that provides the intensity modulated signal from the optical resonator to the detector.

A method of detecting information encoded in a complex modulated optical signal comprising a plurality of modes having a plurality of different relative phases including any of wavefront distorted complex modulated signals, and random phase signals, the method comprising:

• receiving the complex modulated optical signal that has been transmitted via a medium and that has been coupled to a first multimode waveguide without any wavefront correction or phase mitigation;
• transmitting the complex modulated optical signal through the first multimode waveguide to an optical resonator, wherein relative phases of the complex modulated optical signal between multiple modes in the first multimode waveguide are not preserved;
• converting the complex modulated optical signal to an intensity modulated optical signal with the optical resonator;
• providing the intensity modulated optical signal from the optical resonator to a detector through a second multimode waveguide;
• and
• converting the intensity modulated optical signal into an electrical signal, the electrical signal having an amplitude indicative of an intensity of the intensity modulated signal from the optical resonator.