Complex linear minimum mean-squared-error equalization of spatially quadrature-amplitude-modulated signals in holographic data storage

We applied complex linear minimum mean-squared-error equalization to spatially quadrature-amplitude-modulated signals in holographic data storage (HDS). The equalization technique can improve dispersion in constellation outputs due to intersymbol interference. We confirm the effectiveness of the equalization technique in numerical simulations and basic optical experiments. Our numerical results have shown that intersymbol interference of a retrieved signal in a HDS system can be improved by using the equalization technique. In our experiments, a mean squared error (MSE), which indicates the deviation from an ideal signal, has been used for quantitatively evaluating the dispersion of equalized signals. Our equalization technique has been able to improve the MSE. However, symbols in the equalized signal have remained inseparable. To further improve the MSE and make the symbols separable, reducing errors in repeated measurements is our future task. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied Physics