Cross-talk analysis in a telecentric adaptive free-space optical relay based on a spatial light modulator

We present an analysis of the performance limit of an adaptive multichannel free-space optical interconnect based on a spatial light modulator (SLM). The SLM function is to provide an active alignment of the signal beam in the detector plane. A thorough cross-talk analysis based on the diffractive properties of an ideal SLM in an isoplanatic optical system is shown. We analyze the performance in terms of the bit-error rate (BER) due to cross talk between different channels in the optical interconnect for different alignment states and for different phase-modulation schemes. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.