Investigating performance of optical communication system with FSO/OWC channel

Abstract In recent years, the evolution of optical wireless communication (OWC) system has emerged as a viable alternative to radio frequency communication. These technologies provide an effective solution for addressing the need for point-to-point communication, offering benefits such as higher bandwidth, faster data rates, no licensing requirements, low power usage, quick and simple installation, enhanced security, and resistance to electromagnetic interference. In this article, we analyze two wireless optical communication systems: one using an FSO channel and the other using an OWC channel. The analysis focuses on range and quality factor as performance metrics. We examine the performance of one-to-many Tx/Rx FSO/OWC channel under three different atmospheric conditions: clear weather, haze, and fog, using eye diagrams. The system analysis includes mathematical models for the received optical power and the pointing error. Additionally, we investigate the impact of spatial diversity on the performance of FSO/OWC channel with configurations of 1 × 1, 2 × 2, 4 × 4, and 8 × 8. Our findings indicate that the 8 × 8 FSO/OWC configurations yield better results compared to other configurations and the OWC channel performs well over long distances up to 110 km, while the FSO channel is more suitable for short range communication up to 37 km.