Feasibility of retroreflective free-space optical communication using retroreflectors with very wide field of view

Abstract

This paper presents power budget predictions for retroreflective, free-space optical communication systems and examines options for producing retroreflectors with very wide field of view. Power budgets containing data representative of practical conditions show that operational ranges of many kilometres can be expected. Novel graded-index (GRIN) spherical retroreflectors have been examined in comparison with other types of retroreflector, and it is shown that they can offer technical advantages if they can be fabricated with suitable sizes and focal lengths. It is also shown that realisable high-index corner cube reflectors may be technically acceptable for this application.