Retrodirective-Optical-Transponder Concept

Abstract

Pointing errors and optical imperfections automatically corrected. Coherent optical transponder employs nearly-degenerate four-wave mixing in nonlinear optical element to produce signal traveling back toward source of incoming signal. Return signal modulated for communication, navigation, data transmission, tracking, and identification. When perfected concept finds important civilian and military applications in line-of-sight tracking, communication and identification.