Color image information transmission in plasma sheath turbulence based on orbital angular momentum mode

Area of Science:

• Optical communications
• Plasma physics
• Image processing

Background:

• Plasma sheath turbulence (PST) significantly impacts free-space optical (FSO) communication.
• Anisotropic refractive-index fluctuations in PST pose challenges for reliable data transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To numerically investigate color image transmission through a 0.4 m PST channel.
• To propose and validate a simulation model for encoding/decoding image pixels using orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an anisotropic power spectrum model for refractive-index fluctuations in PST.
• Developed an encoding/decoding scheme based on Gaussian vortex beams with OAM.
• Analyzed the effects of variance, outer scale, and anisotropy on PSNR and BER.

Main Results:

• Increased refractive index fluctuation variance, decreased outer scale, and decreased anisotropy parameters led to lower PSNR and higher BER.
• Achieved a bit error rate (BER) of 1.25 × 10⁻⁴ under weak turbulence and 0.447 under strong turbulence.
• Successfully transmitted a 256 × 256 pixel color image, demonstrating the scheme's viability.

Conclusions:

• The proposed OAM-based encoding/decoding scheme is feasible for image transmission in PST channels.
• Understanding turbulence parameters is crucial for optimizing FSO communication performance.
• This research offers a potential solution for robust optical communication in turbulent plasma environments.