IHCS: Multiplexing, Modulation, Coding and Detection Technologies Enabling Hybrid RF-Optical and Microwave-Optical Communications

智力优势：亚利桑那大学提出了一项多学科研究计划，解决一个重要的技术挑战：由于大带宽不匹配，射频和光通信技术不兼容。另一个重要成果是开发了新的调制和编码技术，使强大气湍流下的可靠通信成为可能。提出的研究计划的具体目标包括：(i)开发有效的接口，以实现混合射频自由空间光传输，包括正交频分复用和多电平脉冲位置调制；发展能够在强大气湍流下工作的有效调制技术，包括多激光多探测器概念；发展有效的编码技术，例如低密度奇偶校验码，以提高自由空间光学系统的可靠性；发展完善的系统模型和渠道容量研究，以评估最终的性能限制；(v)所建议方法的实验验证。更广泛的影响：通过将编码、调制和自由空间光通信方面的理论专业知识与数字建模专业知识和最先进的实验基础设施相结合，首席研究人员处于开发新一代混合射频自由空间光学系统的独特位置，因此，对光网络技术和信息基础设施的发展做出了重大贡献。该项目的跨学科性质（即结合光学物理，光学器件技术，通信/编码理论和实践），期望促进跨学科的教育，并为学生创造获得行业实习的新机会，从而加强大学与业界的合作。主要的教育目标包括：(i)设立一个研究生讨论会，传播关于自由空间光通信的新资料；（ii）开设一门新的研究生课程，题为？自由空间光通信？（iii）将迭代解码技术纳入数字通信系统课程序列，以及（iv）出版关于光通信调制和编码的章节或专著。

Intellectual Merit: University of Arizona proposes a multidisciplinary research program addressing an important technological challenge: the incompatibility of RF and optical communication technologies due to the large bandwidth mismatch. Another important outcome is development of novel modulation and coding techniques enabling reliable communication under strong atmospheric turbulence. The specific goals of the proposed research program include: (i) Development of efficient interfaces to enable the hybrid RF-free-space optical transmission including orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and multilevel pulse-position modulation; (ii) Development of efficient modulation techniques capable of operating under strong atmospheric turbulence, including the multi-laser-multi-detector concept; (iii) Development of efficient coding techniques, such as low-density parity-check codes, to improve the reliability of the free-space optical system; (iv) Development of refined system models and channel capacity studies to assess the ultimate performance limits; and (v) Experimental validation of the proposed methods. Broader Impact: By combining the theoretical expertise in coding, modulation, and free-space optical communications, with the numerical-modeling expertise and state-of-the-art experimental infrastructure, the Principal Investigators are in a unique position to develop a new generation of hybrid RF-free-space optical systems, contributing therefore, significantly to the evolution of optical network technologies and the information infrastructure in the United States and abroad. The interdisciplinary nature of the project (i.e., combining optical physics, optical device technologies, and communication/coding theory and practice) is expected to foster cross-disciplinary education, and to create new opportunities for students to obtain industry internships and therefore enhance collaboration between the University and industry. The main educational objectives include: (i) establishing a graduate seminar for dissemination of new information on free-space optical communications, (ii) developing a new graduate course entitled ?Free-Space Optical Communications,? (iii) incorporating iterative decoding techniques into the Digital Communications Systems course-sequence, and (iv) publishing a chapter or a monograph on modulation and coding for optical communications.