Transmitter and receiver technologies for optical wireless

Area of Science:

• Optical Wireless Communications
• Photonics
• Telecommunications Engineering

Background:

• High-capacity optical wireless (OW) communication links face challenges in achieving reliable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and bandwidth.
• Transmitter and receiver subsystems are critical for OW link performance and require joint optimization.
• Current OW systems utilize modulated light sources (lasers, LEDs) and optical steering for signal transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the state-of-the-art in optical wireless transmitter and receiver technologies.
• To discuss design constraints for OW communication systems.
• To explore potential future research directions in OW communications.

Main Methods:

• Survey of current transmitter technologies, including light sources and modulation techniques.
• Analysis of receiver subsystem designs, focusing on signal collection, filtering, detection, and amplification.
• Discussion of optical and steering systems for signal directionality and safety compliance.

Main Results:

• Identified key design constraints for both transmitter and receiver subsystems in OW communications.
• Detailed the critical role of receiver design in determining link SNR and capacity.
• Presented an overview of current technological capabilities and limitations.

Conclusions:

• Advancements in both transmitter and receiver technologies are essential for realizing high-performance OW communication systems.
• Further research into receiver design is paramount for enhancing SNR and link utility.
• Future directions include innovations in component design and system integration for improved OW communication.