Optical communication systems

 

 

 

Fiber optic communication systems relay on superior electro-optical and optical components like fibers, lasers, modulators and detectors as well as elaborated signal processing at high data rates. Research at the institute of microwaves and photonics in the field of optical communication covers besides optical and algorithmic techniques for mitigation of nonlinear distortions in fiber based systems also concepts for optical amplification in multicore fiber transmission lines.

 

 

 

 

 

Free-space optical communication (FSO) technology offers significant advantages, including high data rates and a large bandwidth, making it an attractive option for wireless communication. However, FSO systems face challenges, particularly related to the requirement of a line of sight (LoS) for effective transmission. This limitation can lead to blocking issues that adversely impact communication performance. To address these challenges, our research investigates the potential of intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS) as a solution. The primary focus of our work is to evaluate the full capabilities of IRS, both experimentally and theoretically. We investigate various hardware options and their integration into FSO systems while conducting experiments to assess the performance of IRS-assisted communication links.

 

 

 

Contact:

Benedikt Beck, M. Sc.

Andreas Rittler, M. Sc.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernhard Schmauss