Abstract

The performance of an unguided, or free space, optical communication system depends in a complex way on many system and environmental parameters. Because of the angular compactness of the antenna pattern that can be achieved at optical frequencies, fixed angular pointing offset and stochastic pointing fluctuations can be significant factors in determining overall system performance. Angular offset and pointing fluctuations give rise to both reduction in and fluctuation of received optical power or energy per bit. This increases bit error probability.

© 1987 Optical Society of America