Aperture averaging in multiple-input single-output free-space optical systems

Multiple-input single-output systems are employed in free-space optical links to mitigate the degrading effects of atmospheric turbulence. We formulate the power scintillation as a function of transmitter and receiver coordinates in the presence of weak atmospheric turbulence by using the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle. Then the effect of the receiver-aperture averaging is quantified. To get consistent results, parameters are chosen within the range of validity of the wave structure functions. Radial array beams and a Gaussian weighting aperture function are used at the transmitter and the receiver, respectively. It is observed that the power scintillation decreases when the source size, the ring radius, the receiver-aperture radius, and the number of array beamlet increase. However, increasing the number of array beamlets to more than three seems to have negligible effect on the power scintillation. It is further observed that the aperture averaging effect is stronger when radial array beams are employed instead of a single Gaussian beam.