Prof. Shlomi Arnon

The increasing demand for high-speed, long-range communication in drone and satellite networks has accelerated interest in free-space optical (FSO) systems employing beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). OAM offers spatial multiplexing capabilities, thereby significantly enhancing data capacity. However, its practical deployment is challenged by beam divergence and atmospheric turbulence, especially over extended distances. In this study, we investigate the performance of a binary OAM-based communication system for satellite-to-ground links, where only a limited portion of the beam is captured by the receiver. We consider a scintillation-induced turbulent propagation channel, beam wander induced pointing error, mechanical vibration induced pointing error and the simultaneous use of multiple wavelengths to further increase the information throughput. A spatial optimization model is developed to identify the optimal receiver position that minimizes the bit error rate across all wavelengths. The findings support the design of efficient and robust long-range OAM-based FSO communication systems under realistic channel conditions.