RECONFIGURABLE LASER COMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL

摘要

A system and method for free space optical communication include at least on e reconfigurable terminal (30) using dual-wavelength operation for isolation between transmitted and received signals in combination with polarization switching to separate and steer the transmitted and received signals to and from corresponding transmitters (40) and receivers (48). The polarization based switching provides wavelength independent beam steering to facilitate interchanging of wavelengths for transmitted and received signals. A controllable or passive polarization changer (56) such as a wave plate or polarization rotator allows the communication terminal (30) to be reconfigur ed without also requiring the repositioning and associated precision alignment of beam steering optics (54, 62, 66).