Optical communications in challenging environments

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Visible light communication is an emerging field that is likely to form a key strand of the next generations of communications protocols offering increased bandwidth compared to radio frequency (RF) comms, license-free operation, and, in some situations, increased security.The development of micro-LED's and visible laser diode sources has enabled high data rate demonstrations of both line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight architectures, in particular when coupled with the exquisite sensitivity and timing capabilities of modern single-photon detectors. This project seeks to exploit advances in sources and detectors together with optical design to develop improved optical communications systems for challenging environments.These environments could be hampered by smoke, dust, mist, or turbid water. They could be complex and cluttered or have high background illumination. Terrestrial and space-borne systems may be addressed, with their particular challenges in size, weight, power, and robustness.Use will be made of Fraunhofer prototyping expertise with a view to real world deployment and demonstrations.Working within the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics alongside researchers, engineers, and other students, the EngD student shall also be required to work in multidisciplinary teams within project consortia spanning academia and industry.Free-space optical communication is on the cusp of really coming of age, both from necessity (RF spectral congestions) and modern developments in hardware and protocols. However, challenges remain in terms of systems practical for deployment in various scenarios, and ingenuity is required to find the approaches that best balance various competing factors (data rates, ranges, pointing stability requirements to name a few) such that systems can be compact and affordable. The precise use cases targeted will depend upon industrial and commercial priorities at the time the student begins the research phase of the programme.