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Optical Code-Division Multiple Access (O-CDMA)

The Optical Code-Division Multiple Access (O-CDMA) program is developing and demonstrating novel enabling technologies for an advanced O-CDMA network. The optical coding incorporates wavelength, time, and phase dimensions of coding. The program is demonstrating novel optical encoder/decoder hardware technologies, developing and evaluating novel coding algorithms for O-CDMA, and developing innovative concepts in O-CDMA network architecture and security. O-CDMA enables decentralization of network management and asynchronous access, potentially simplifying the rapid deployment of secure networks. The benefits of the program will be optical communications systems with enhanced multi-level security and low probability of intercept, detection and jamming – all traits that enhance the reliability and the survivability of military networks.

Overview

A major task of the O-CDMA program is to create novel technologies for optical encoding and decoding that support implementation of advanced O-CDMA architectures and sophisticated coding algorithms. Reconfigurable optical encoders and decoders are being pursued that enable O-CDMA systems with individual user data rates exceeding 10 Gb/s, supporting a large number of simultaneous and potential users and maximizing spectral efficiency. Both synchronous and asynchronous encoders/decoders are being developed. Another major task is investigating and demonstrating novel coding algorithms that, together with novel hardware technologies, maximize the number of simultaneous users of an O-CDMA network at a high bit rate as well as maximize cardinality (the number of potential users of the network) and the spectral efficiency. To complement the hardware and coding algorithm tasks, the O-CDMA program is developing innovative concepts in advanced O-CDMA network architectures. Goals include being able to support greater than 1,000 potential users with bit-error rates less than 10^-9.