High-Speed GaN-Based Superluminescent Diode for 4.57 Gbps Visible Light Communication

Dong Li,Junwen Zhang,Yingnan Ma,Shulan Yi,Fangchen Hu,Yuqi Hou,Junhui Hu,Jianyang Shi,Chicheng Ma,Liang Xia,Junfei Wang,Chao Shen,Ziwei Li,Shanshan Wang,Nan Chi

doi:10.3390/cryst12020191

Abstract

Visible light communication (VLC) is a promising technology for next-generation high-speed optical wireless data links. Among various transmitters, GaN-based superluminescent diodes (SLDs) show interesting characteristics, including a large modulation bandwidth, droop free and low speckle noise, which makes them attractive for VLC applications. In this work, we design and fabricate a blue-emitting SLD utilizing tilted facet configuration. Using SLD as the light source, a VLC system is experimentally demonstrated. A record data rate of 4.57 gigabit per second (Gbps) is achieved with adaptive bit-loading discrete multiple tone (DMT) modulation, while the highest modulation format reaches 256 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). The corresponding bit error rate (BER) is ~3.5 × 10−3, which is below the forward error correction (FEC) threshold of 3.8 × 10−3.

Highlights

In recent years, the rapid growth of wireless data demands has called for a large data rate and low latency data links
The optical and electrical characteristics of the superluminescent diodes (SLDs) are reported in Section 3.1, and the results of the communication experiment are outlined in Section 3.2 below
The opt3ic. aRleasnudltselectrical characteristics of the SLD are reported in Section 3.1, and the results of the Tcohme omputinciaclaatniodneelexcpterircimalecnhtaararcetoeruitsltiincsedofinthSeeScLtiDona3re.2rebpeolorwte.d in Section 3.1, and the results of the communication experiment are outlined in Section 3.2 below. 3.1

Summary

Introduction

The rapid growth of wireless data demands has called for a large data rate and low latency data links. Beyond conventional RF-based technologies, various emerging technologies have been studied, and visible light communication (VLC) is one of them. VLC, or LiFi technology, has drawn much attention, owing to its high security, durability against electromagnetic interference (EMI), use of an unlicensed spectrum, and combination of illumination and communication [1,2,3]. InGaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely used as the transmitter of VLC systems, due to their wide availability, long lifespan, and low cost. The transmission data rate of LED-based VLC systems might be limited. Laser diodes (LDs) have a much higher bandwidth of several GHz and a high data rate of several Gbps, but the speckle noise, as well as the potential safety concerns, limit the mass deployment of LD-based VLC systems [4]

Methods

Results

Conclusion