Digital Coherent Technologies in Optical Satellite Communications

Abstract

Digital coherent technologies were introduced in long-haul fiber communications as technologies enabling higher spectrum efficiency and compensation of waveform distortion due to fiber transmissions. Digital coherent technologies are expanding their application areas to fiber access networks and satellite communications. In this paper, we review optical satellite communications utilizing digital coherent technologies. The demonstration of multi-aperture transmissions for higher capacity and the demonstration of burst transmissions for higher sensitivity with digital coherent technologies are presented.