Abstract: Apparatus with an optical bench and at least one optical element, which is attached on the optical bench, whereby the optical bench comprises a layer structure with an extruded honeycomb plate from light alloy, paper or char-fiber-reinforced plastic. A first cover layer is glued to the honeycomb plate and comprises a first glass-like plate, which is surface-treated on that side which faces away from the honeycomb plate. A second cover layer glued to the lower surface of the light alloy honeycomb plate and comprises a second glass-like plate. The optical bench has suspensions, which glued to one or more parts of the layer structure for force introduction into the layer structure. The optical element is fixed by cold welding or glueing on the surface-treated side of the first glass-like plate.

Abstract: Apparatus with an optical bench and at least one optical element, which is attached on the optical bench, whereby the optical bench comprises a layer structure with an extruded honeycomb plate from light alloy, paper or char-fiber-reinforced plastic. A first cover layer is glued to the honeycomb plate and comprises a first glass-like plate, which is surface-treated on that side which faces away from the honeycomb plate. A second cover layer glued to the lower surface of the light alloy honeycomb plate and comprises a second glass-like plate. The optical bench has suspensions, which glued to one or more parts of the layer structure for force introduction into the layer structure. The optical element is fixed by cold welding or glueing on the surface-treated side of the first glass-like plate.

Abstract: Lightwaves (1), which carry data signals and beacon light, are used for establishing a connection between a receiver and a transmitter located remote from each other. An acquisition sensor (171) is provided for acquiring the lightwaves (1) in the receiver, which generates acquisition sensor signals (Sc) from the received lightwaves. The lightwaves (1), which are conducted over a telescope (2) and a beam splitter (R4), are fed to the acquisition sensor (171) as well as to a fiber nutator scanning device (5). Besides useful signals (Sa, Sb), an additional signal (Sw, Sm?, Sm) is obtained with the aid of the scanning device (5), which is used for making the acquisition easier.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for the employment of free space transmission systems for interruption-proof links between individual satellites of satellite communications systems by utilizing optical terminals. The communication link between two satellites is established in a reliable manner despite the presence of microvibrations.

Abstract: An optical coding system is provided for a data transmission device with at least one laser transmitter and at least one laser receiver. The laser transmitter has a laser device and a code generator, and the laser receiver a detector device and an evaluation circuit. The detector device is designed for detecting a burst sequence (B1, B2, B3, . . . ), wherein the length d of the pulses of a burst is greater than 400 ns, and the length D of a burst consisting of a number b of pulses is less than 1000 &mgr;s.

Abstract: An optical unit (10) comprising a plurality of optical elements, a receiving structure (12) with a plurality of element supports (40, 41) for receiving the optical elements. The element supports (40, 41) are in the form of a plate or shell or tube, whose dimensions are greater than the dimensions of the optical elements to be received, and is connected to another element support. At least one element support (40, 41) comprises temperature elements (43-49) that can be heated and/or cooled. The optical unit (10) furthermore comprises a control unit for driving the temperature elements (43-49) in order to locally change the temperature of the at least one element support (40, 41) so as to influence in a controlled manner the shape of the at least one element support (40, 41).

Abstract: Suspension system comprising a flat spring member having four legs. The legs are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center position of the spring member and each of the legs has a longitudinal axis and an end portion. A suspension frame is provided to support the spring member (by fixing the end portion of two legs. Two preload elements are arranged close to the end portions of two of the legs in a manner to apply a preloading force at those legs. The preloading force essentially points in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: The device for the homodyne reception of optical phase-keyed signals comprises a heterodyne receiver (101, 102), a data discriminator (20), a frequency acquisition circuit (80) and a local oscillator laser (70). In addition, the device has a window discriminator circuit consisting of a window comparator (30) and a feedback unit (40), whose output is connected with the input of a reversing switch (50). The window comparator (30) has been inserted between the output of the heterodyne receiver (101, 102) and the one input of the feedback unit (40), whose other input is supplied with the output signal (Si) of the discriminator (20). The output of the frequency acquisition circuit (80) is connected with the other connector of the reversing switch (50), whose output signals supplied to the control input of the local oscillator laser (70). The window comparator (30) has two or more thresholds. The feedback unit (40) can have a control input for a quadrature channel (Sq).

Abstract: A device is used for generating error signals for regulating the optical alignment of two lightwaves in connection with coherent heterodyne reception and comprises a receiver device (2, 3, 4) arranged focused opposite a front face at the end of a lightwave fiber (7) in order to make possible the transmission of the received information lightwave through the lightwave fiber (7) to an optical waveguide coupler (6), which is connected via a further lightwave fiber (13) with a local laser (12) and via two further lightwave fibers (8, 9) with respectively one detector (10, 11) for generating at least one error signal (Sr). A piezoelectric deflection unit (5) acts on this front face of the lightwave fiber (7) located in the focusing area of the receiving device.

Abstract: An optical unit (10) comprising a plurality of optical elements, a receiving structure (12) with a plurality of element supports (40, 41) for receiving the optical elements. The element supports (40, 41) are in the form of a plate or shell or tube, whose dimensions are greater than the dimensions of the optical elements to be received, and is connected to another element support. At least one element support (40, 41) comprises temperature elements (43-49) that can be heated and/or cooled. The optical unit (10) furthermore comprises a control unit for driving the temperature elements (43-49) in order to locally change the temperature of the at least one element support (40, 41) so as to influence in a controlled manner the shape of the at least one element support (40, 41).

Abstract: The optical waveguide coupler comprises a structure (1) of a number of elongated narrow optical waveguide strips (2), which consist respectively of a front area (3), a center area (4) and a coupling area (5). The center area (4) has respective transition areas (6) and (7) to the corresponding area (3) or (5). A gap (9) in the front areas (3) provided between two adjoining strips (2) is larger than the thickness of the narrow strips (2). The front faces (8) of the front areas (3), and the front faces of the coupling areas (5) are embodied to be as smooth as possible, wherein all strips form a stack in the coupling area (5). The gaps are pits which result from etching of an Si substrate with the aid of a DRIE etching process.

Abstract: The system for the optimization of inter-satellite links has a terminal comprising a multiplexer (1) which is connected to the output of a transmission unit (2) and has a subchannel input that is connected to an evaluation unit (3). The terminal also has a demultiplexer (5), which is connected to the input of a receiver unit (6) and has a subchannel output that is connected to an optimization unit (8). With the aid of an auxiliary channel established through the multiplexer and demultiplexer in addition to the transmission channel present for user-information data, it becomes possible to transmit operation-internal data pertaining to at least one continually measured parameter to the optimization unit of the opposite terminal via the evaluation unit (3).

Abstract: Method for calibrating the deviation of a received beam in a terminal from its desired position. The received beam reaches a receiving sensor, and an acquisition beam an acquisition sensor of the terminal. The detection range of the acquisition sensor is greater than that of the receiving sensor. A portion of a transmitted beam emitted by the terminal to the partner terminal is guided as an incident beam on the reflecting surface, where it is reflected as an outgoing beam. A portion of the outgoing beam is respectively brought to the acquisition sensor and the receiving sensor. A respective measurement for the acquisition sensor and the receiving sensor is performed at least approximately isochronously; the measured results are compared for determining the deviation of the received beam from its desired position. Also a device for calibrating the deviation of a received beam in a terminal from its desired position.

Abstract: A system for operating a laser transmitting system for optical space communications, in particular in combination with the generation of amplified laser light under space conditions. The optical laser transmitting system here consists of a laser 2, acting as an optical oscillator, and an optical semiconductor amplifier 6 which are connected with each other by a polarization-maintaining optical fiber 4, or alternatively by an optical space connection. A light beam 8 exiting from the optical semiconductor amplifier 6 is converted via a special optical lens system 10 into a collimated light beam 12 with an even lateral extension and is radiated after further optical conversions.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to a method and an arrangement for optical information transmission via satellites by means of broadband optical modulation and reception technology. As a rule, the arrangement is realized in optical satellite terminals, which have optical units, a laser unit, control and supply as well as monitoring units. In the exemplary embodiment, these terminals are designed for a data rate of 1.5 Gbit/s and a transmission distance of more than 1,200 km, while having a weight of less than 8 kg.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices for the quantum-optical amplification of modulated light, in particular in optical free-space communications systems. In the process a light beam (4) is conducted through a plurality of adjoining crystals (66), (68), (70), which are delimited from each other by means of polarization-selectively reflecting layers (104), (106). The light beam (4) is repeatedly reflected at the edge areas of the crystals into quarter-wave plates (86), (88), (90), (92), (94), and in the process its polarization is respectively rotated by 90 degrees.

Abstract: A device for the directional transmission and the directional reception of modulated light waves between geostationary satellites, or respectively geostationary satellites still close to earth, which have been constructed in a particularly weight-saving manner.

Abstract: The directional reception of extremely weak light signals without diverting a portion of the signal light into separate detectors for the purpose of obtaining an alignment signal is caused by the arrangement of several detector means (X, Y) which, when unmodulated light is superimposed on them, generate electrical output variables (x1, x2, y1, y2) which, after they have been added in a network (I), result in an information signal which, when it is linked by multiplication with several difference signals (x, y) formed in the network (I), converts them into narrow-band signals, which reproduce an alignment error.

Abstract: Lightwaves (1), which carry data signals and beacon light, are used for establishing a connection between a receiver and a transmitter located remote from the former. An acquisition sensor (171) is provided for acquiring the lightwaves (1) in the receiver, which generates acquisition sensor signals (Sc) from the receives lightwaves. The lightwaves (1), which are conducted over a telescope (2) and a beam splitter (R4), are fed to the acquisition sensor (171) as well as to a scanning device (5). Besides useful signals (Sa, Sb), an additional signal (Sw, Sm′, Sm) is obtained with the aid of the scanning device (5), which is used for making the acquisition easier.

Abstract: In a first variation, the novel optical unit (10) comprises several optical elements (14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5), and an integrally produced support structure (12) with element supports (16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5) for each of the optical elements (14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5). At least one of the element supports (16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5) is formed by a simply connected body, i.e. a linear support (16.4) or a plate (16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.5), or shell. The dimensions of this element support are matched to the optical element (14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5), wherein at least a portion of the element supports (16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5) is partially free along their rim. In a second variation the optical unit (10) comprises at least one optical element (14) and an integrally produced element support (16) made of the same material, preferably Zerodur®. The optical element (14) is preferably fastened directly on the element support (16) by gluing.