Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) Systems

Dear Colleagues,

There is a growing interest in the research and development of optical wireless communication (OWC) systems, including free-space optical communications (FSO), visible light communications (VLC), and underwater wireless optical communications (UWOC). This is mainly due to significant advancements in optical sources from high-performance light-emitting diodes (LED), solid-state laser diodes (LD), and high-speed photodiodes (PD) in different optical spectra (i.e., infrared, visible, ultraviolet). Exploring these new optical spectra for the purpose of wireless communication is a big interdisciplinary research challenge. Additionally, due to the storage of traditional radiofrequency (RF) communication spectra, using optical spectra for wireless communication can also release the heavy burden of RF wireless communication. OWC technologies, such as optical camera communication (OCC) and image sensor-based Internet of Things (IoT), visible light positioning (VLP) has received much attention recently. Light fidelity (LiFi), as a special form of OWC, is emerging to provide a high-speed wireless link, supporting multiuser and bidirectional access. It may also be integrated into the future 6G mobile networks.

This Special Issue plans to focus on short- to long-reach OWC, from indoor to outdoor, from ground and underwater. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Optical wireless communication (OWC) systems;
• Free-space optical communications (FSO);
• Visible light communications (VLC);
• Underwater wireless optical communications (UWOC);
• Optical beam forming, beam steering, and diverging;
• LiFi network technologies;
• Hybrid LiFi/Rario-over-Fiber (RoF) technologies;
• Visible light positioning (VLP);
• Optical camera communication (OCC);
• Screen or camera communication;
• Real-time communication system;
• Optical components or coating techniques for optical wireless communication.

Prof. Dr. Hai-Han Lu
Prof. Dr. Chi-Wai Chow
Prof. Dr. Liankuan Chen
Guest Editors

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