ASYMPTOTICALLY DENSE SPHERICAL CODES .2. LAMINATED SPHERICAL CODES

New spherical codes called laminated spherical codes are constructed i n dimensions 2-49 using a technique similar to the construction of lam inated lattices. Each spherical code is recursively constructed from e xisting spherical codes in one lower dimension. Laminated spherical co des outperform the best known spherical codes in the minimum distance sense for many code sizes. The density of a laminated spherical code a pproaches the density of the laminated lattice in one lower dimension, as the minimum distance approaches zero. In particular, the three-dim ensional laminated spherical code is asymptotically optimal, in the se nse that its density approaches the Fejes Toth upper bound as the mini mum distance approaches zero. Laminated spherical codes perform asympt otically as well as wrapped spherical codes in those dimensions where laminated lattices are optimal sphere packings.