BER Analysis of IM and BPPM for Satellite-to-Ground Laser Communications

Communication quality of two modulation techniques IM and BPPM is analyzed for satellite-to-ground laser communication. Laser communication have many advantages for aspects of high data rate, security, electromagnetic interference, frequency license, size reduction. Usually, intensity modulation and pulse position modulation are being used in practical satellite laser communication experiments. To verify appropriate modulation technique for satellite laser communications, laser transmission systems applied two common modulation methods are designed and simulated. The performance of modulation is evaluated based on bit error rate (BER). As a result, it was verified that binary PPM system has high power efficiency about 3dB compare to intensity modulation system.