Coherent multimode OAM superpositions for multidimensional modulation

The generation, propagation, and detection of high-quality and coherently superimposed optical vortices, carrying two or more orbital angular momentum (OAM) states, is experimentally demonstrated using an optical arrangement based on spatial light modulators. We compare our results with numerical simulations and show that, in the context of turbulence-free wireless optical communication (indoor or satellite), individual OAM state identification at the receiver of an OAM-modulated system can be achieved with good precision, to accommodate for high-dimensional OAM modulation architectures. We apply our results to the simulation of a communication system using low-density parity-check-coded modulation that considers optimal signal constellation design in a channel that includes OAM crosstalk induced by realistic (imperfect) detection.