Abstract
In this paper, we propose a high-sensitivity long-reach underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) system with an Mbps-scale data rate. Using a commercial blue light-emitting diode (LED) source, a photon counting receiver, and return-to-zero on–off keying modulation, a receiver sensitivity of −70 dBm at 7% FEC limit is successfully achieved for a 5 Mbps intensity modulation direct detection UOWC system over 10 m underwater channel. For 1 Mbps and 2 Mbps data rates, the receiver sensitivity is enhanced to −76 dBm and −74 dBm, respectively. We further investigate the system performance under different water conditions: first type of seawater (c = 0.056 m−1), second type (c = 0.151 m−1), and third type (c = 0.398 m−1). The maximum distance of the 2 Mbps signal can be extended up to 100 m in the first type of seawater.
Highlights
With the expanding area explored by human beings, the observation and utilization of the underwater world is growing increasingly important
Under the guidance of the simulation results, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a long-reach Mbps-scale underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) scheme with high receiver sensitivity based on a light-emitting diode (LED) transmitter and a Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) receiver
When the amplitude of the sampled pulse is above the decision threshold voltage (DTV) VD, one photon is counted
Summary
With the expanding area explored by human beings, the observation and utilization of the underwater world is growing increasingly important. Not be so attractive and available for some long-distance transmission scenarios requiring a large optical power budget and photon-scale detection, e.g., internal communications with Mbps data rates between autonomous underwater vehicles or underwater sensor nodes in underwater dynamic conditions [4]. Before building a long-range experimental UOWC system, the underwater channel conditions need to be investigated to establish the system parameters such as the optimal transmitted optical wavelength, modulation scheme, signal baud rate, and beam aperture. Because underwater data transmission using a light beam is not an easy mission in the presence of high water absorption and scattering, characterizing the underwater optical channel property to achieve appropriate system parameters is of crucial importance to enable a high-reliability and high-quality UOWC link.
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