Uni-fiber Lasercom Terminal Design

A uni-fiber laser communications (lasercom) terminal apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

• an oscillator to generate a first signal having a first wavelength;
• a modulator to modulate the first signal;
• a circulator to circulate the first signal;
• a bi-directional optical amplifier (optical amp) to amplify the first signal;
• an optical fiber;
• wherein the optical fiber is embedded in a ferrule, and an end of the ferrule is coated with a reflective coating;
• at least one lens, wherein the first signal is transmitted through and is received through the optical fiber and the at least one lens;
• an acquisition detector to detect the first signal;
• and
• an actuator associated with the ferrule to nutate and translate the ferrule according to feedback from the acquisition detector regarding the first signal.

A method for operating a uni-fiber laser communications (lasercom) terminal system, the method comprising:

• generating, with an oscillator associated with a first terminal, a first signal having a first wavelength;
• modulating, with a modulator associated with the first terminal, the first signal;
• circulating, with a circulator associated with the first terminal, the first signal;
• amplifying, with a bi-directional optical amplifier (optical amp) associated with the first terminal, the first signal;
• transmitting, through an optical fiber associated with the first terminal, the first signal, wherein the optical fiber is embedded in a ferrule, and an end of the ferrule is coated with a reflective coating;
• transmitting, through at least one lens associated with the first terminal, the first signal;
• reflecting, by a reflective surface associated with a second terminal, the first signal;
• receiving, by the first terminal through the at least one lens associated with the first terminal and the optical fiber associated with the first terminal, the reflected first signal;
• amplifying, with the bi-directional optical amp associated with the first terminal, the reflected first signal;
• circulating, with the circulator associated with the first terminal, the reflected first signal;
• detecting, with an acquisition detector associated with the first terminal, the reflected first signal;
• and
• nutating and translating, with an actuator associated with the ferrule of the first terminal, the ferrule of the first terminal according to feedback from the acquisition detector regarding the reflected first signal.

A system for uni-fiber laser communications (lasercom) terminals, the system comprising:

• an oscillator, associated with a first terminal, to generate a first signal having a first wavelength;
• a modulator, associated with the first terminal, to modulate the first signal;
• a circulator, associated with the first terminal, to circulate the first signal;
• a bi-directional optical amplifier (optical amp), associated with the first terminal, to amplify the first signal;
• an optical fiber associated with the first terminal, wherein the optical fiber is embedded in a ferrule, and an end of the ferrule is coated with a reflective coating;
• at least one lens associated with the first terminal, wherein the first signal is transmitted through and is received through the optical fiber associated with the first terminal and the at least one lens associated with the first terminal;
• a reflective surface, associated with a second terminal, to reflect the first signal;
• an acquisition detector, associated with the first terminal, to detect the reflected first signal;
• and
• an actuator, associated with the ferrule of the first terminal, to nutate and translate the ferrule of the first terminal according to feedback from the acquisition detector regarding the reflected first signal.