5
$\begingroup$

I keep increasing my frequencies and want to get up the spectrum more and more. My current project is pointing a powerful focused LED from a peak and I will try to pick it up with a telescope and some sort of photo detector to receive the AM light.

I keep wondering about even higher frequencies. I am assuming Ultra violet should not be too much more difficult than Light unless the air absorbs that band.

So, going higher, could x-rays be used to communicate, maybe just CW or is it not possible at all and x-rays will not propagate.

| improve this question | |
$\endgroup$
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ PWM modulate the transmitting LED. Slow detector response will detect it as an AM signal. As a side note, many LED's respond to their own frequencies, and so can be used for both transmit and receive. $\endgroup$ – Optionparty Jan 19 '14 at 1:13
  • $\begingroup$ I'm really not sure this is the right stack; more of a physics/electronics stack type of question $\endgroup$ – VU2NHW Nov 23 '14 at 18:40
11
$\begingroup$

If you can control its emissions, and detect it, then you can use it for communications. X-rays are no exception.

However there are many reasons they are not widely used, including expensive and limited optics, short distance line of sight outside a vacuum, and not as safe as many other forms of communications.

Still X-rays have some uses and there are X-ray communication systems in development. They can be used over vast distances in space with relatively low power, can communicate with spacecraft during re-entry when traditional communications are disrupted due to electron activity in the heat of re-entry, and can penetrate some types of RF shielding, which has some interesting use cases.

| improve this answer | |
$\endgroup$
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Not to mention required compliance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), Chapter V, Subchapter C - Electronic Product Radiation Control. $\endgroup$ – K7AAY Dec 17 '13 at 23:54
  • $\begingroup$ X-ray transmitters can also be used to implement an IP over demographics network. $\endgroup$ – Phil Frost - W8II Nov 24 '14 at 12:02

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.