Press Releases
European Space Agency funds Phlux Technology, Airbus Defence and Space and The University of Sheffield in project to help develop 2.5 Gbps free space optical satellite terminals
Sheffield, 16th May 2024: Phlux Technology, a manufacturer of avalanche photodiode (APD) infrared sensors, Airbus Defence and Space, and The University of Sheffield have embarked on a 500,000 Euro project to build more efficient free space optical communications (FSOC) satellite terminals. Funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), the project’s medium-term goal is to achieve reliable 2.5 Gbps communications with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites at 1550 nm wavelength. These satellites orbit the earth at heights of up to 2000 km (1,200 miles). A longer-term aim is to produce links that will operate at 10 Gbps.
Phlux Noiseless InGaAs® avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are at the heart of the project. They are used as infrared sensors in FSOC receivers and are expected to deliver 6 dBm more sensitivity than traditional InGaAs APDs operating at 1550 nm. This means that they can detect much lower signal levels, enabling faster and higher bandwidth links with low latency to be developed. It also means that adequate performance can be maintained for longer periods because link integrity is maintained over a wider angle as the satellite passes overhead. …
