Abstract: An optical communications transmitter for use in free space communication from the transmitter to a receiver, the transmitter including a light input and an optical fiber array for directing the light input. The optical communications transmitter further includes an optical phased array for receiving the light input from the optical fiber array and transmitting a light output, the optical phased array being configured for modifying a relative phase of the light input such that the light output exhibits a predetermined far-field intensity pattern.

Abstract: An optical receiver for use in free space communication from a transmitter to the optical receiver is configured for receiving optical signals from the transmitter. The optical receiver includes optics for collecting the optical signals, a demodulator for converting the optical signals so collected into a data stream, a signal processing unit for processing the data stream into an analog signal, and an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog signal into a digital output. The demodulator includes a plurality of apertures, each one of the plurality of apertures being optically connected with an etalon of an optical path length that is different from the optical path length of another etalon optically connected with another one of the plurality of apertures.