Detection and Demodulation of Laser Beams

Summary form only given, as follows. This talk will review some of the important devices and techniques available for optical reception, particularly in possible future optical communications systems. An exhaustive survey of all the existing or proposed photo-devices will not be attempted. Rather, some hopefully instructive comments will be offered on such key topics as: optical heterodyning; optical heterodyne receivers vs laser amplifier receivers; synthesis of special optical networks; and linear or coherent detection vs quantum counting.