Abstract: A spatially resolved spectral device comprising a dispersive array to receive an incident light comprising a principal ray. The dispersive array comprising a plurality of dichroic layers, each of the plurality of dichroic layers disposed in a path of a direction of the principal ray. Each of the plurality of dichroic layers configured to at least one of reflect or transmit a different wavelength range of the incident light. The device further comprising a detection array operatively coupled with the dispersive array. The detection array comprising a photosensitive component including a plurality of detection pixels, each of the plurality of detection pixels having a light-receiving surface disposed parallel to the direction of the principal ray to detect a respective one of the different wavelength ranges of incident light reflected from a corresponding one of the plurality of dichroic layers.

Abstract: A spatially resolved spectral device comprising a dispersive array to receive an incident light comprising a principal ray. The dispersive array comprising a plurality of dichroic layers, each of the plurality of dichroic layers disposed in a path of a direction of the principal ray. Each of the plurality of dichroic layers configured to at least one of reflect or transmit a different wavelength range of the incident light. The device further comprising a detection array operatively coupled with the dispersive array. The detection array comprising a photosensitive component including a plurality of detection pixels, each of the plurality of detection pixels having a light-receiving surface disposed parallel to the direction of the principal ray to detect a respective one of the different wavelength ranges of incident light reflected from a corresponding one of the plurality of dichroic layers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for aligning and maintaining the alignment of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit in an optical wireless communication system. The receiving unit includes an optical bundle positioned at the focal point of an objective optic element. The optical bundle is comprised of an array of optical fibers, arranged surrounding the receiving fiber. The receiving unit also includes a number of detectors that measure the optical signal strength on a corresponding fiber in the optical bundle. The array of fibers is used to detect the location of the received signal relative to the receiving optical fiber and to provide feedback to adjust the orientation of the optical bundle to optimize the received signal strength. When misalignment occurs between the received signal and the receiving fiber, some of the incident received signal will be captured by one or more of the outer optical fibers.

Abstract: An adaptive optics system is disclosed whereby at least one mirror in the system is manipulated using electrostatic force to selectively attract or repel a portion of the mirror to or from a particular electrode, respectively. This attraction or repulsion is accomplished by mechanically coupling a bound charge layer of dielectric material to at least one surface of the mirror and then placing a voltage across an electrode in an array of electrodes positioned near that mirror. The charge in the dielectric material combined with a suitable electric field makes it possible to attract portions of the mirror in one instant and then, by changing the sign on the voltage placed across the electrode, to repel those same portions in the next instant.

Abstract: An adaptive optics system is disclosed whereby at least one mirror in the system is manipulated using electrostatic force to selectively attract or repel a portion of the mirror to or from a particular electrode, respectively. This attraction or repulsion is accomplished by mechanically coupling a bound charge layer of dielectric material to at least one surface of the mirror and then placing a voltage across an electrode in an array of electrodes positioned near that mirror. The charge in the dielectric material combined with a suitable electric field makes it possible to attract portions of the mirror in one instant and then, by changing the sign on the voltage placed across the electrode, to repel those same portions in the next instant.

Abstract: A free space optical communication system is disclosed whereby the optics of a transmit telescope are manipulated using adaptive optics to precompensate for wave front distortion of a light beam transmitted by a transmit telescope. Wave front distortion is manifested at the receive telescope as a change in at least one characteristic of the image of the received signal such as, for example, a reduction in the amplitude of the received signal. A mirror of the transmit telescope is deformed in such a way as to reduce the wave front distortion and correspondingly increase the resulting amplitude of the received signal.

Abstract: A free space optical communication system is disclosed whereby the optics of a receive telescope are manipulated using adaptive optics to compensate for wave front distortion of a light beam transmitted by a transmit telescope. Wave front distortion is manifested at the receive telescope as a deviation from the normal, orthogonal orientation of the wave front of the transmitted light beam relative to its line of travel. This deviation may be detected, for example, by a wave front sensor, such as a Shack-Hartman sensor, which identifies the slope, or beam tilt, of discrete sections of the transmitted beam. The optics of the receive telescope can then be deformed in such a way as to cancel the wave front distortion and correspondingly reduce the resulting distortion of the received signal.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing the effects of atmospheric ducting on wireless transmissions, wherein a wireless communication system is comprised of a plurality of base stations having antennas, each base station having a beacon signal transmitter and a beacon signal receiver. Each beacon signal transmitter is configured to transmit a wireless beacon signal to be received by the beacon signal receiver at other, preferably every other, base stations. For each wireless beacon signal, a time delay and a propagation loss is measured. Each measured time delay and propagation loss is compared to an expected time delay and an expected propagation loss corresponding to the wireless beacon signal. The results of the comparison are processed so as to determine a location of atmospheric ducts in the region serviced by the wireless system.