Demonstration of a Hybrid FSO/VLC Link for the Last Mile and Last Meter Networks

Abstract

In this paper, a hybrid free-space optical and visible light communication (FSO/VLC) system was experimentally demonstrated as a solution to overcome the last mile and last meter access networks bandwidth bottleneck. We evaluate the system performance of a multiband carrier-less amplitude and phase ( m -CAP) modulation scheme for a range of FSO/VLC link lengths and m -CAP parameters (i.e., the roll-off factor of the filters and a number of subcarriers) in terms of the data rate Rb (i.e., spectral efficiency). We show that for the configuration with a 1-m VLC link the 10-CAP offers more than a 40% improvement in the measured Rb compared to 2-CAP for the same bit error rate target. The Rb penalty due to the extension of a VLC-link span from 1 to 3 m reaches to 12.6 Mb/s for the 10-CAP scheme (i.e., ∼ 39% degradation in Rb ). To fully cover all aspects of the hybrid FSO/VLC system, we also investigate the atmospheric turbulence effect on the 500-m FSO link where Rb is decreased by 30% for the refractive index structure parameter C2n of 2.4 ×10−15 m −2/3 compared to a clear channel condition.