Ultra-sensitive UV solar-blind optical wireless communications with an SiPM

In this Letter, an SiPM with a dedicated cooling system suitable for receiving ultra-low-power solar-blind wavelengths is reported. This is designed to decrease the temperature of the detector from 21°C to –10°C, and the corresponding dark count rate (DCR) is reduced by approximately 10 dB. A 275 nm optical wireless communication (OWC) system is established using on–off-keying (OOK) modulation. Transmission rates ranging from 100 kbit/s to 2 Mbit/s are demonstrated with this cooled SiPM. The received power is as low as 30 pW (corresponding to 41.5 photons per bit) at a data rate of 1 Mbit/s and a bit error rate of 2.4 × 10–3

High-Sensitivity Inter-Satellite Optical Communications using Chip-Scale LED and Single Photon Detector Hardware

Small satellites have challenging size weight and power requirements for communications modules, which we address here by using chip-scale light-emitting diode (LED) transmitters and single-photon avalanche diode receivers. Data rates of 100 Mb/s have been demonstrated at a sensitivity of -55.2 dBm, and simulations with supporting experimental work indicate ranges in excess of 1 km are feasible with a directional gain of up to 52 dBi and comparatively modest pointing requirements. A 750 m, 20 Mb/s link using a single micro-LED has been demonstrated experimentally. The low electrical power requirements and compact, semiconductor nature of these devices offer high data rate, high sensitivity communications for small satellite platforms

A review of gallium nitride LEDs for multi-gigabit-per-second visible light data communications

The field of visible light communications (VLC) has gained significant interest over the last decade, in both fibre and free-space embodiments. In fibre systems, the availability of low cost plastic optical fibre (POF) that is compatible with visible data communications has been a key enabler. In free-space applications, the availability of hundreds of THz of the unregulated spectrum makes VLC attractive for wireless communications. This paper provides an overview of the recent developments in VLC systems based on gallium nitride (GaN) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), covering aspects from sources to systems. The state-of-the-art technology enabling bandwidth of GaN LEDs in the range of >400 MHz is explored. Furthermore, advances in key technologies, including advanced modulation, equalisation, and multiplexing that have enabled free-space VLC data rates beyond 10 Gb/s are also outlined

Komunikace viditelným světlem (VLC) pro LED veřejné osvětlení a další venkovní aplikace

This diploma thesis focuses on visible light communications, mainly in outdoor appliances. Whole text is divided into two blocks. First segment serves as a research, focusing on experiments carried by different university teams all over the world, which are published as IEEE conference papers. Another half discuss our own VLC prototyping, its limitations and possible upgrade paths.Tato práce se zabývá problematikou komunikace viditelným spektrem světla. Celý text je rozvržen do dvou velkých bloků, přičemž první slouží jako rešerše prací jiných týmů ze všech koutů světa, publikovaných na IEEE konferencích. Druhá část pojednává o samotném měření a prototypu komunikačního řetězce. Zmíněna je konstrukce, limitace i možnosti budoucích vylepšení.440 - Katedra telekomunikační technikyvýborn

Employing VLC technology for transmitting data in biological tissue

Abstract. With the development in wireless communication methods, visible light communication (VLC), a subset of Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) has garnered much attention to employ the technology for a secure short-range wireless communication. We present a feasibility study to determine the performance of VLC in short range wireless transmission of data through biological tissue. VLC is a cost efficient and secure means of transmitting high volume of data wirelessly which can considerably reduce the interference issues caused by electromagnetic pulses and external electric fields. We present a simple measurement approach based on Monte Carlo simulation of photon propagation in tissue to estimate the strength of wireless communication with body implant devices. Using light for communication brings inherent security against unauthorized access of digital data which could be acquired from the low energy body implant devices used for medical diagnosis and other studies. This thesis discusses the typical components required to establish VLC such as, transmitter, receiver and the channel mediums. Furthermore, two cases of Monte Carlo simulation of photon-tissue interaction are studied to determine a possibility if VLC is a suitable substitute to radio frequency (RF) for a more wireless communication with the body implants. The process of theoretical measurement begins with conversion of light intensity into an electrical signal and an estimation of achievable data rate through a complex heterogeneous biological tissue model. The theoretically achieved data rates of the communication were found to be in the order of megabits per second (Mbps), ensuring a possibility to utilize this technology for short range reliable wireless communication with a wider range and application of implant medical devices. Biophotonics.fi presents a computational simulation of light propagation in different types of computational tissue models comprehensively validated by comparison with the team’s practical implementation of the same setup. This simulation is also used in this thesis (5.2.2) to approximate more accurate data rates of communication in case of a practical implementation

Power and spectrally efficient integrated high-speed LED drivers for visible light communication

Recent trends in mobile broadband indicates that the available radio frequency (RF) spectrum will not be enough to support the data requirements of the immediate future. Visible light communication, which uses visible spectrum to transmit wirelessly could be a potential solution to the RF ’Spectrum Crunch’. Thus there is growing interest all over the world in this domain with support from both academia and industry. Visible light communication( VLC) systems make use of light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are semiconductor light sources to transmit information. A number of demonstrators at different data capacity and link distances has been reported in this area. One of the key problems holding this technology from taking off is the unavailability of power efficient, miniature LED drive schemes. Reported demonstrators, mostly using either off the shelf components or arbitrary waveform generators (AWGs) to drive the LEDs have only started to address this problem by adopting integrated drivers designed for driving lighting installations for communications. The voltage regulator based drive schemes provide high power efficiency (> 90 %) but it is difficult to realise the fast switching required to achieve the Mbps or Gbps data rates needed for modern wireless communication devices. In this work, we are exploiting CMOS technology to realise an integrated LED driver for VLC. Instead of using conventional drive schemes (digital to analogue converter (DAC) + power amplifier or voltage regulators), we realised a current steering DAC based LED driver operating at high currents and sampling rates whilst maintaining power efficiency. Compared to a commercial AWG or discrete LED driver, circuit realised utilisng complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has resulted in area reduction (29mm2). We realised for the first time a multi-channel CMOS LED driver capable of operating up to a 500 MHz sample rate at an output current of 255 mA per channel and >70% power efficiency. We were able to demonstrate the flexibility of the driver by employing it to realise VLC links using micro LEDs and commercial LEDs. Data rates up to 1 Gbps were achieved using this system employing a multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) scheme. We also demonstrated the wavelength division multiplexing ability of the driver using a red/green/blue commercial LED. The first integrated digital to light converter (DLC), where depending on the input code, a proportional number of LEDs are turned ON, realising a data converter in the optical domain, is also an output from this research. In addition, we propose a differential optical drive scheme where two output branches of a current DAC are used to drive two LEDs achieving higher link performance and power efficiency compared to single LED drive

Temporal encoding to reject background signals in a low complexity, photon counting communication link

Communicating information at the few photon level typically requires some complexity in the transmitter or receiver in order to operate in the presence of noise. This in turn incurs expense in the necessary spatial volume and power consumption of the system. In this work we present a self-synchronised free-space optical communications system based on simple, compact and low power consumption semiconductor devices. A temporal encoding method, implemented using a gallium nitride micro-LED source and a silicon single photon avalanche photo-detector (SPAD) demonstrates data transmission at rates up to 100~kb/s for 8.25~pW received power, corresponding to 27 photons per bit. Furthermore, the signals can be decoded in the presence of both constant and modulated background noise at levels significantly exceeding the signal power. The system’s low power consumption and modest electronics requirements are demonstrated employing it as a communications channel between two nano-satellite simulator systems

Practical free-space quantum key distribution

Within the last two decades, the world has seen an exponential increase in the quantity of data traffic exchanged electronically. Currently, the widespread use of classical encryption technology provides tolerable levels of security for data in day to day life. However, with one somewhat impractical exception these technologies are based on mathematical complexity and have never been proven to be secure. Significant advances in mathematics or new computer architectures could render these technologies obsolete in a very short timescale. By contrast, Quantum Key Distribution (or Quantum Cryptography as it is sometimes called) offers a theoretically secure method of cryptographic key generation and exchange which is guaranteed by physical laws. Moreover, the technique is capable of eavesdropper detection during the key exchange process. Much research and development work has been undertaken but most of this work has concentrated on the use of optical fibres as the transmission medium for the quantum channel. This thesis discusses the requirements, theoretical basis and practical development of a compact, free-space transmission quantum key distribution system from inception to system tests. Experiments conducted over several distances are outlined which verify the feasibility of quantum key distribution operating continuously over ranges from metres to intercity distances and finally to global reach via the use of satellites

Data security in photonic information systems using quantum based approaches

The last two decades has seen a revolution in how information is stored and transmitted across the world. In this digital age, it is vital for banking systems, governments and businesses that this information can be transmitted to authorised receivers quickly and efficiently. Current classical cryptosystems rely on the computational difficulty of calculating certain mathematical functions but with the advent of quantum computers, implementing efficient quantum algorithms, these systems could be rendered insecure overnight. Quantum mechanics thankfully also provides the solution, in which information is transmitted on single-photons called qubits and any attempt by an adversary to gain information on these qubits is limited by the laws of quantum mechanics. This thesis looks at three distinct different quantum information experiments. Two of the systems describe the implementation of distributing quantum keys, in which the presence of an eavesdropper introduces unavoidable errors by the laws of quantum mechanics. The first scheme used a quantum dot in a micropillar cavity as a singlephoton source. A polarisation encoding scheme was used for implementing the BB84, quantum cryptographic protocol, which operated at a wavelength of 905 nm and a clock frequency of 40 MHz. A second system implemented phase encoding using asymmetric unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometers, with a weak coherent source, operating at a wavelength of 850 nm and pulsed at a clock rate of 1 GHz. The system used depolarised light propagating in the fibre quantum channel. This helps to eliminate the random evolution of the state of polarisation of photons, as a result of stress induced changes in the intrinsic birefringence of the fibre. The system operated completely autonomously, using custom software to compensate for path length fluctuations in the arms of the interferometer and used a variety of different single-photon detector technologies. The final quantum information scheme looked at quantum digital signatures, which allows a sender, Alice, to distribute quantum signatures to two parties, Bob and Charlie, such that they are able to authenticate that the message originated from Alice and that the message was not altered in transmission