Sensitive Optical Receivers for Space

Communications in space demand the most sensitive receivers possible for maximum reach, while also requiring high-bit-rate operations. A concept for laser beam-based communications using an almost noiseless optical preamplifier in the receiver has been developed. The free-space optical transmission system relies on an optical amplifier that, in principle, does not add any excess noise, in contrast to all other pre-existing optical amplifiers referred to as phase-sensitive amplifiers (PSAs).