Optical wireless communications for micro-machines

Thesis

The main objective of this thesis is to develop a communication system that can minimize the micro-machine size and power consumption and maximize the link range and the number of micro-machines that can communicate simultaneously with the base station.

Several possible communication systems are compared, including RF communications and active and passive free space optical communications. A directed, half duplex LOS link using a Ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) or multiple quantum well (MQW) modulating retroreflector-base passive uplink is then examined in more detail.

Two potential geometries are described. In a broad-beam system, light from a source is broadcast to all micro-machines within the field of view (FOV). However, simulations show that the performance is unacceptable for most applications. In a narrow-beam system, light is holographically steered to active micro-machines within the same FOV. Therefore, the link budget has been improved. For a BER not exceeding 10-9, the 850 nm LC narrowbeam system can support maximum range of 146 m at a data rate of 10kbits/s, and the 1525 nm MQW narrowbeam system can support a maximum range of 34 m at a data rate of 10Mbits/s, when the transmitted power in the diffracted beam of the positive first order is 0.5 mW.

Experiments have been carried out to verify the model. These were initially carried out with MQW Modulating RetroReflector (MRR). Results were then be used to modify the characteristics of these components in the model. Available components and discrete electronics have been used to set up a simple retro-reflecting link. Experiments have been performed at a limited data rate of 1 kbits/s over a limited range of 1m due to creating a uniform interrogation beam spot, and the active area of the receiver of 1 mm diameter. An algorithm to find the MQW MRR within the FOV is designed and tested.

Authors: Yuan, WW

• Publication date: 2011
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: Optical wireless communications; Smart Dust
• Subjects: Communications engineering (optical,microwave and radio)