Intelligent Reflecting Surface-assisted Free-space Optical Communications

Abstract

Free-space optical (FSO) systems are able to offer the high data-rate, secure, and cost-efficient communication links required for applications such as wireless front-and backhauling for 5G and 6G communication networks. Despite the substantial advancement of FSO systems over the past decades, the requirement of a line-of-sight connection between transmitter and receiver remains a key limiting factor for their deployment. In this paper, we discuss the potential role of intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) as a solution to relax this requirement. We present an overview of existing optical IRS technologies; compare optical IRSs with radio-frequency IRSs and optical relays; and identify various open problems for future research on IRS-assisted FSO communications.

Revolutionizing Optical Wireless Communications via Smart Optics

“…In [14]- [17], the authors envisioned the potentials of reconfigurable surfaces for free space optical (FSO) communications, light fidelity, and indoor VLC networks, respectively. Differently, in this work, we consider the wider scope of optical wireless communications with emphasis on bridging the gap between physical optical devices research and the communications perspective while speculating novel use cases and highlighting promising research directions at the interface between tunable optics and wireless communications.…”

Multihop RIS-Assisted FSO-RF System Over Double Generalized Gamma Fading

“…The use of RIS for wireless systems is gaining greater research interests. The literature contains results of RISassisted RF transmissions over Rayleigh, Rician, Nakagami-m, and fluctuating two-ray (FTR) fading channels [2]- [11], RISassisted FSO [12]- [18], and mixed systems of RIS-assisted RF and conventional FSO [19]- [21]. There is a limited research on RIS-assisted FSO system with different turbulence conditions This work was supported in part by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under Start-up Research Grant SRG/2019/002345.…”

“…There is a limited research on RIS-assisted FSO system with different turbulence conditions This work was supported in part by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under Start-up Research Grant SRG/2019/002345. [12]- [18]. The authors in [15], [16] considered the Gamma-Gamma atmospheric turbulence with pointing errors to analyze the RIS based FSO system.…”