Over 40-W Electric Power and Optical Data Transmission Using an Optical Fiber

Abstract

Simultaneous over 40-W electric power and optical data transmission using an optical fiber is demonstrated for optically powered remote antenna units in future mobile communication networks. In this article, to further increase the delivered electric power by power-over-fiber link using a double-clad fiber, we improve the link design to extract a higher feed light power from the double-clad fiber output. Furthermore, to increase the electric power for driving remote antenna units, we employ a specially customized photovoltaic power converter that directly converts optical power into electric power. The photovoltaic power converter can input a feed light with power of over 20 W and has a high optical-to-electrical conversion efficiency of over 50%. As a result, the combination of the improved power-over-fiber link design and the use of the photovoltaic power converter successfully achieves the electric power delivery of up to 43.7 W. This is the highest electric power delivery demonstration by power-over-fiber with optical data signals using a single optical fiber, to the best of the authors' knowledge.