The article presents state of work in technology of free-space optical communications (Free Space Optics − FSO). Both commercially available optical data links and their further development are described. The main elements and operation limiting factors of FSO systems have been identified. Additionally, analyses of FSO/RF hybrid systems application are included. The main aspects of LasBITer project related to such hybrid technology for security and defence applications are presented.

In this work we report simulation and experimental results for an MWIR HgCdTe photodetector designed by computer simulation and fabricated in a joint laboratory run by VIGO Sytems S.A. and Military University of Technology. The device is based on a modified N+pP+ heterostructure grown on 2”., epiready, semi-insulating (100) GaAs substrates in a horizontal MOCVD AIX 200 reactor.

The devices were examined by measurements of spectral and time responses as a function of a bias voltage and operating temperatures. The time response was measured with an Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) as the source of ~25 ps pulses of infrared radiation, tuneable in a 1.55–16 μm spectral range. Two-stage Peltier cooled devices (230 K) with a 4.1 μm cut-off wavelength were characterized by 1.6 × 1012 cm Hz1/2/W peak detectivity and < 1 ns time constant for V > 500 mV.

The quantum efficiency of an InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattice (T2SL) high operating temperature (HOT) long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) photodetector may be significantly improved by integrating a two-dimensional subwavelength hole array in a metallic film (2DSHA) with the detector heterostructure. The role of the metallic grating is to couple incident radiation into surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes whose field overlaps the absorber region. Plasmon-enhanced infrared photodetectors have been recently demonstrated and are the subject of intensive research. Optical modelling of the three-dimensional detector structure with subwavelength metallic components is challenging, especially since its operation depends on evanescent wave coupling. Our modelling approach combines the 3D finite-difference time-domain method (FDTD) and the rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) with a proposed adaptive data-point selection for calculation time reduction. We demonstrate that the 2DSHA-based detector supports SPPs in the Sommerfeld-Zenneck regime and waveguide modes that both enhance absorption in the active layer.