• Chinese Optics Letters
  • Vol. 17, Issue 4, 040601 (2019)
Yujian Guo, Omar Alkhazragi, Chun Hong Kang, Chao Shen, Yuan Mao, Xiaobin Sun, Tien Khee Ng, and Boon S. Ooi*
Author Affiliations
  • Photonics Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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    DOI: 10.3788/COL201917.040601 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    Yujian Guo, Omar Alkhazragi, Chun Hong Kang, Chao Shen, Yuan Mao, Xiaobin Sun, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi. A tutorial on laser-based lighting and visible light communications: device and technology [Invited][J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2019, 17(4): 040601 Copy Citation Text show less
    Recent advances in nitride-based LED and LD-based VLC[23,24]. Modified from the work presented in Refs. [20,22].
    Fig. 1. Recent advances in nitride-based LED and LD-based VLC[23,24]. Modified from the work presented in Refs. [20,22].
    Recent research progress in UWOC[27,28,31–40" target="_self" style="display: inline;">–40].
    Fig. 2. Recent research progress in UWOC[27,28,3140" target="_self" style="display: inline;">40].
    Typical spectral response of Si-based photodetector.
    Fig. 3. Typical spectral response of Si-based photodetector.
    Recent advances in III-nitride-based LDs and SLD for enabling high data rate VLC systems[11,12,15,42–51" target="_self" style="display: inline;">–51].
    Fig. 4. Recent advances in III-nitride-based LDs and SLD for enabling high data rate VLC systems[11,12,15,4251" target="_self" style="display: inline;">51].
    (a) Electroluminescence emission spectrum of the semipolar violet-emitting LD at an injection current of 400 mA. (b) Schematic of the small-signal modulation response measurement setup. (c) Small-signal modulation response of the violet-emitting LD at an injection current of 400 mA. The LD shows a −3 dB modulation bandwidth of ∼3.1 GHz. (d) Comparison of modulation bandwidth in commercial LEDs and LDs[11].
    Fig. 5. (a) Electroluminescence emission spectrum of the semipolar violet-emitting LD at an injection current of 400 mA. (b) Schematic of the small-signal modulation response measurement setup. (c) Small-signal modulation response of the violet-emitting LD at an injection current of 400 mA. The LD shows a 3dB modulation bandwidth of 3.1GHz. (d) Comparison of modulation bandwidth in commercial LEDs and LDs[11].
    Comparison of photocurrent versus wavelength spectra in (a) semipolar (202¯1¯) and (b) c-plane (0001) InGaN/GaN QW modulators[47].
    Fig. 6. Comparison of photocurrent versus wavelength spectra in (a) semipolar (202¯1¯) and (b) c-plane (0001) InGaN/GaN QW modulators[47].
    (a) Three-dimensional (3D) illustration of the 405 nm emitting dual-section SOA-LD on a semipolar GaN substrate. The device involves four pairs of In0.1Ga0.9N/GaN MQWs as the active region and a pair of InGaN separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) waveguide layers. The lengths of the SOA and LD are 300 and 1190 µm, respectively. (b) Effective gain versus laser current relationship of the dual-section SOA-LD at different SOA bias values (VSOA)[88].
    Fig. 7. (a) Three-dimensional (3D) illustration of the 405 nm emitting dual-section SOA-LD on a semipolar GaN substrate. The device involves four pairs of In0.1Ga0.9N/GaN MQWs as the active region and a pair of InGaN separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) waveguide layers. The lengths of the SOA and LD are 300 and 1190 µm, respectively. (b) Effective gain versus laser current relationship of the dual-section SOA-LD at different SOA bias values (VSOA)[88].
    Comparison of output power versus current in the LD and photocurrent from the WPD at zero bias versus current in the LD[91].
    Fig. 8. Comparison of output power versus current in the LD and photocurrent from the WPD at zero bias versus current in the LD[91].
    (a) 405 nm SLD grown on semipolar (202¯1¯) GaN substrates with tilted facet configuration. (b) Electroluminescence spectra of SLD in comparison with the LD and LED at constant current injection. (c) BER versus data rate for OOK-modulated SLD-based VLC. Inset shows the corresponding eye diagrams at different data rates[47].
    Fig. 9. (a) 405 nm SLD grown on semipolar (202¯1¯) GaN substrates with tilted facet configuration. (b) Electroluminescence spectra of SLD in comparison with the LD and LED at constant current injection. (c) BER versus data rate for OOK-modulated SLD-based VLC. Inset shows the corresponding eye diagrams at different data rates[47].
    Emission spectrum of Ce-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce3+) phosphor for different chemical compositions[42].
    Fig. 10. Emission spectrum of Ce-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce3+) phosphor for different chemical compositions[42].
    (a) Measured frequency response of the perovskite-based VLC system. (b) BER of the perovskite-based VLC system at different data rates and the eye diagram of 2 Gbps data rate showing a clear open eye[12].
    Fig. 11. (a) Measured frequency response of the perovskite-based VLC system. (b) BER of the perovskite-based VLC system at different data rates and the eye diagram of 2 Gbps data rate showing a clear open eye[12].
    Signal waveforms of different modulation techniques: (a) NRZ-OOK and (b) RZ-OOK.
    Fig. 12. Signal waveforms of different modulation techniques: (a) NRZ-OOK and (b) RZ-OOK.
    Constellation diagrams of (a) 4-PSK, (b) 8-PSK, (c) 4-QAM, and (d) 16-QAM.
    Fig. 13. Constellation diagrams of (a) 4-PSK, (b) 8-PSK, (c) 4-QAM, and (d) 16-QAM.
    OFDM transmission and reception block diagram[118,124].
    Fig. 14. OFDM transmission and reception block diagram[118,124].
    YearTransmitterData Rate (Gbps)Distance (m)ModulationRefs.
    2012pc-LED1.10.23CAP[3]
    2012RGB-LED3.40.3OFDM (WDM)[4]
    2013RGB-LED3.220.25CAP (WDM)[5]
    2013Blue LD2.50.1OOK-NRZ[6]
    2014GaN μ-LED30.05OFDM[7]
    2014Red LD12.5516-QAM-OFDM[8]
    2015BlueLD+Phosphor40.116-QAM-OFDM[9]
    2015Blue LD9564-QAM-OFDM[10]
    2015BlueLD+Phosphor20.05OOK[11]
    2016BlueLD+Phosphor2<1OOK[12]
    2016RGB-LED3.3751PAM-8[13]
    2017Violet μ-LED11.95<1OFDM[14]
    2017VioletLED+Phosphor11OOK[15]
    2017Blue LD181616-QAM-OFDM[16]
    2018RGBYC LED10.72164-QAM-DMT[17]
    2018Violet LD3.20.116-QAM-OFDM[18]
    2018Violet LD241064-QAM DMT[19]
    2018Blue LD2.3100OOK-NRZ[20]
    Table 1. Recent Progress in VLC Systems
    Wavelength (nm)SubstrateWaveguide DesignFacetOptical Power (mW)Threshold Density (kA/cm2)Modulation BandwidthRefs.
    395c-plane GaNBroad areaCleaved, uncoated10–180 (Pulse)3.2–3.6[58]
    410c-plane GaN2–10 µm ridgeCleaved, ZrO2/SiO2 coated10–75 (CW)2.5 GHz and 1.38 GHz[59]
    410Semipolar (202¯1¯) GaN2 µm and 3 µm ridgeRIE, uncoated20–128 (CW)6.255 GHz[1,60]
    445Semipolar (202¯1¯) GaN2.5–15 µm ridgeCAIBE, uncoated100–1100 (CW)2.2[61]
    450 (commercial)c-plane GaN10–70 (CW)1.8 GHz[62]
    453Semipolar (202¯1) GaNRidgePolished, uncoated5–35 (Pulse)8.6[63]
    457Semipolar (112¯2) GaN2 µm and 4 µm ridgePolished, uncoated1–10 (Pulse)13.0 and 12.6[64]
    518Semipolar (202¯1)GaNRidgeRIE, uncoated5–18 (Pulse)40[65]
    520 (commercial)c-plane GaN10–80 (CW)200–1000 MHz[66]
    536.6Semipolar (202¯1) GaN2 µm ridgeCleaved, Coated10–90 (CW)5.9[67]
    Table 2. Summary of InGaN-based Laser Diode Design and Performance
    CharacteristicsLEDsLaser DiodesSLDs
    Spectral width (FWHM)40 to 80 nm0.1 to 5 nm6 to 20 nm
    Modulation bandwidthUp to tens of MHzUp to few GHzUp to hundreds of MHz
    Eye-safe levelHighLowModerate
    CostLowHighModerate to high
    Table 3. Comparison of LEDs, Laser Diodes, and SLDs for SSL-VLC Systems
    Yujian Guo, Omar Alkhazragi, Chun Hong Kang, Chao Shen, Yuan Mao, Xiaobin Sun, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi. A tutorial on laser-based lighting and visible light communications: device and technology [Invited][J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2019, 17(4): 040601
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