Optical wireless communications : enabling the next generation network of networks

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Krishnamoorthy, Aravindh and Safi, Hossein and Younus, Othman and Kazemi, Hossein and Osahon, Isaac N. O. and Liu, Mingqing and Liu, Yi and Babadi, Sina and Ahmad, Rizwana and Ihsan, Asim and Majlesein, Behnaz and Huang, Yifan and Herrnsdorf, Johannes and Rajbhandari, Sujan and McKendry, Jonathan and Tavakkolnia, Iman and Caglayan, Humeyra and Helmers, Henning and Turnbull, Graham A. and Samuel, Ifor and Dawson, Martin and Schober, Robert and Haas, Harald (2025) Optical wireless communications : enabling the next generation network of networks. IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, 20 (2). pp. 20-39. ISSN 1556-6072 (https://doi.org/10.1109/MVT.2025.3555366)

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Abstract

Optical wireless communication (OWC) is a promising technology anticipated to play a key role in the next-generation network of networks (NoNs), especially as a complementary technology to traditional radio-frequency (RF) communications, for enhancing networking capabilities beyond conventional terrestrial networks. OWC is already a mature technology with diverse usage scenarios and can enable integrated applications via wireless access and backhaul networks, dynamic drone and satellite networks, underwater networks, inter- and intrasystem interconnecting networks, and vehicular communication networks. Furthermore, novel and emerging technological opportunities such as photovoltaic cells, orbital angular momentum-based modulation, optical reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, organic light-emitting and photo diodes, and recent advances in ultraviolet communications can help to enhance future OWC capabilities even further. Moreover, OWC networks can also support value-added services such as enhanced positioning and gesture recognition. Hence, OWC provides unique functionalities that can play a crucial role in building convergent and resilient future NoNs alongside RF and optical fiber technologies.

ORCID iDs

Krishnamoorthy, Aravindh, Safi, Hossein, Younus, Othman, Kazemi, Hossein, Osahon, Isaac N. O., Liu, Mingqing, Liu, Yi, Babadi, Sina, Ahmad, Rizwana, Ihsan, Asim, Majlesein, Behnaz, Huang, Yifan, Herrnsdorf, Johannes ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3856-5782, Rajbhandari, Sujan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8742-118X, McKendry, Jonathan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6379-3955, Tavakkolnia, Iman, Caglayan, Humeyra, Helmers, Henning, Turnbull, Graham A., Samuel, Ifor, Dawson, Martin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6639-2989, Schober, Robert and Haas, Harald;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)