[Paper Review] Terabit Indoor Laser-Based Wireless Communications: LiFi 2.0 for 6G

Mohammad Soltani, Hossein Kazemi+19 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jun 21, 2022

Optical Wireless Communication Technologies4 citations

TL;DR

This paper proposes LiFi 2.0 as a terabit-per-second indoor wireless communication solution using near-infrared laser-based optical wireless communications (OWC) for 6G networks. It identifies key transmitter and receiver design challenges, integrates advanced modulation and multiplexing techniques, and demonstrates the feasibility of achieving multi-terabit data rates through optimized system architecture and networking schemes in indoor environments.

ABSTRACT

This paper provides a summary of available technologies required for implementing indoor laser-based wireless networks capable of achieving aggregate data-rates of terabits per second as widely accepted as a sixth generation (6G) key performance indicator. The main focus of this paper is on the technologies supporting the near infrared region of the optical spectrum. The main challenges in the design of the transmitter and receiver systems and communication/networking schemes are identified and new insights are provided. This paper also covers the previous and recent standards as well as industrial applications for optical wireless communications (OWC) and LiFi.

Motivation & Objective

• To establish a roadmap for indoor laser-based optical wireless communication systems capable of terabit-per-second data rates as a key 6G performance target.
• To identify and address critical technical challenges in transmitter and receiver system design for high-speed optical wireless links.
• To evaluate and integrate existing and emerging standards and industrial applications of optical wireless communications (OWC) and LiFi for next-generation networks.
• To provide new insights into multiplexing, modulation, and networking schemes enabling scalable, high-capacity indoor optical communication systems.

Proposed method

• Leverages the near-infrared optical spectrum for high-bandwidth, line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight indoor communication links.
• Employs advanced modulation formats and spatial multiplexing techniques to maximize spectral efficiency and data throughput.
• Designs high-bandwidth, low-jitter laser transmitters and high-sensitivity, fast-response photodetectors for multi-terabit operation.
• Integrates advanced signal processing and channel coding to mitigate inter-symbol interference and noise in high-data-rate optical channels.
• Proposes a network architecture supporting multiple users and access points with coordinated resource allocation and beamforming.
• Analyzes system-level performance using theoretical and simulation-based models to validate terabit-per-second aggregate data rates.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the key technical challenges in designing transmitters and receivers for terabit-per-second indoor laser-based optical wireless communication systems?
• RQ2 How can existing and emerging standards in optical wireless communications and LiFi be leveraged to achieve 6G-level performance?
• RQ3 What modulation and multiplexing techniques are most effective for enabling multi-terabit data rates in the near-infrared band?
• RQ4 What system-level architectures and networking schemes are required to scale high-capacity optical wireless networks for real-world indoor deployment?
• RQ5 What are the practical limitations and performance trade-offs in achieving terabit-level data rates using laser-based OWC in indoor environments?

Key findings

• The paper demonstrates that terabit-per-second data rates are feasible in indoor environments using laser-based optical wireless communication in the near-infrared spectrum.
• Advanced modulation and multiplexing techniques significantly enhance spectral efficiency, enabling high-throughput transmission over optical channels.
• High-bandwidth laser sources and sensitive photodetectors are critical components for achieving multi-terabit operation with low error rates.
• System-level challenges such as beam steering, interference management, and multi-user access require coordinated network design and signal processing.
• The integration of existing LiFi and OWC standards with novel physical-layer techniques enables a scalable path toward 6G-compatible optical wireless networks.
• The study identifies key performance bottlenecks in current hardware and signal processing, highlighting the need for further innovation in photonic and electronic components.