Closed loop controlled optical tracking module for free-space optical communications

In this paper, a closed loop controlled optical tracking module for free-space optical communication is presented. The motion of the optical tracking module is achieved using a pan-tilt mechanical platform driven by two servomotors. The optical tracking module consists of optical elements including beamsplitters and quadrant photodiodes to extract the angular parameters of the incident wave. Optical as well as dynamic modeling is performed to confirm the tracking functionality of the system. Furthermore, to validate the concept, experimentation has been carried out by placing a laser emission module in-front of a fixed optical tracking module. The laser was moved in free-space with the help of a mechanical structure and the successful tracking of the optical tracking module has been observed.