100 Tbit/s free-space data link enabled by three-dimensional multiplexing of orbital angular momentum, polarization, and wavelength

Abstract

We investigate the orthogonality of orbital angular momentum (OAM) with other multiplexing domains and present a free-space data link that uniquely combines OAM-, polarization-, and wavelength-division multiplexing. Specifically, we demonstrate the multiplexing/demultiplexing of 1008 data channels carried on 12 OAM beams, 2 polarizations, and 42 wavelengths. Each channel is encoded with $100\mathrm{Gbit}/\mathrm{s}$ quadrature phase-shift keying data, providing an aggregate capacity of $100.8\mathrm{Tbit}/\mathrm{s}$ ($12\times 2\times 42\times 100\mathrm{Gbit}/\mathrm{s}$).