VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

BELGAUM,KARNATAKA

Technical Seminar Report

On
“FREE SPACE OPTICAL COMMUNICATION”

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of degree

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
in
ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

Submitted By

RESHMA R 1BY15EC067

Under the Guidance of

Dr. M C HANUMANTHARAJU
Associate professor, Dept. of ECE

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

BMS Institute of Technology and Management
Yelahanka, Bengaluru – 560064

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 B.M.S. INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

Yelahanka, Bengaluru-560064

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

Vision
Be a Pioneer in Providing Quality in Education in Electronics, Communication and
Allied Engineering Fields to Serve as Valuable Resource for Industry and Society

Mission
1. Impart Sound Theoretical Concepts & Practical Skills through innovative
Pedagogy.
2. Promote Interdisciplinary Research.
3. Inculcate Professional Ethics.

Program Outcomes (POs)

1. Engineering knowledge: Apply the knowledge of Mathematics, Science, Engineering
fundamentals and an engineering specialization to the solution of complex engineering
problems

2. Problem analysis: Identify, formulate, review research literature, and analyse complex
Engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions using first principles of
mathematics, Natural sciences and engineering sciences

3. Design/development of solutions: Design solutions for complex engineering problems

and design system components or processes that meet the specified needs with appropriate
consideration for the public health and safety, and the cultural, societal, and environmental
considerations.

4. Conduct investigations of complex problems: Use research-based knowledge and

research methods including design of experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and
synthesis of the Information to provide valid conclusions.

5. Modern tool usage: Create, select, and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and
modern Engineering and IT tools including prediction and modelling to complex
engineering activities with an understanding of the limitations.

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6. The engineer and society: Apply reasoning informed by the contextual knowledge to
assess societal, health, safety, legal and cultural issues and the consequent responsibilities
relevant to the professional engineering practice.

7. Environment and sustainability: Understand the impact of the professional engineering

solutions in societal and environmental contexts, and demonstrate the knowledge of, and
need for Sustainable development

8. Ethics: Apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities
and norms of the engineering practice.

9. Individual and team work: Function effectively as an individual, and as a member or

leader in diverse teams, and in multidisciplinary settings

10. Communication: Communicate effectively on complex engineering activities with the

engineering Community and with society at large, such as, being able to comprehend and
write effective reports and design documentation, make effective presentations, and give
and receive clear instructions.

11. Project management and finance: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the
Engineering and management principles and apply these to one’s own work, as a member
and Leader in a team, to manage projects and in multidisciplinary environments.

12. Life-long learning: Recognize the need for, and have the preparation and ability to
engage in independent and life-long learning in the broadest context of technological

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 BMS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
Yelahanka, Bengaluru – 560064

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE
Certified that the Technical Seminar entitled Free Space Optical Communication
presented by Ms.Reshma R, USN 1BY15EC067, a bonafide student of B.M.S Institute
of Technology & Management in partial fulfillment for the award of Bachelor of
Engineering in Electronics and Communication Engineering of the Visvesvaraya
Technological University, Belgaum during the year 2018-19. It is certified that all
corrections/suggestions indicated for Internal Assessment have been incorporated in the
Report deposited in the departmental library. The technical seminar report has been
approved as it satisfies the academic requirements in respect of Seminar work prescribed
for the said Degree.

Signature of the Guide Signature of H.O.D

Dr. M C Hanumantharaju Dr. Ambika R

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 Acknowledgement
My sincere thanks to the Management of B.M.S Institute of Technology & Management,
Avalahalli, Yelahanka, Bengaluru for providing excellent infrastructure and lab facilities
that helped me to go through the different areas of interest to do my technical seminar.

It is my privilege and pleasure to express our profound sense of respect, gratitude and
indebtedness to Dr. Mohan Babu G N, Principal, BMSIT&M, for guiding and providing
facilities for the successful completion of my technical seminar.

I sincerely thank Dr. Ambika R, Professor & HOD, Department of Electronics and
Communication Engineering, BMSIT&M, for his valuable support and constant
encouragement given to me during this work.

I also thank Prof. Suryakanth B, seminar coordinator, for his contributions and technical
support in conducting seminar and preparing this report.

I thank my guide Dr. M C Hanumantharaju, Department of Electronics and

Communication, BMSIT&M and all the staff members of Department of Electronics and
Communication Engineering of BMSIT&M for their cooperation and support.

Last but not least, I wish to acknowledge my Parents and Friends for giving moral strength
and encouragement.

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 ABSTRACT

Today’s demand is a communication link with maximum performance and minimum

errors. With the worldwide demand for larger bandwidth & greater mobility there is a rapid
advancement in the area of broadband wireless communications. Free-space optical
communication (FSO) is a communication technology that uses light propagating in free
space to transmit audio, video and data for telecommunications or computer networking.
"Free space" means air, outer space, vacuum, or something similar. Free Space Optics is a
medium with high bandwidth having maximum data rates and security issues favouring its
promotion for the present era.

The high capacity & low loss of optical fibre has seen its exploding growth in the last few
decades in the WAN’s and LAN’s. But, there is a disadvantage in optical fibre cable
communication is that optical fibre gets damaged in a long distance installation. So, the
Free Space Optical (FSO) wireless communication has emerged as a viable technology for
bridging the gap in existing high data rate fibre network and as a temporary backbone for
rapidly deployable mobile wireless communication infrastructure.

The Free Space Optical Communication has important role in the central cellular network
which contains a RF network, which has connections within the Radio Access Network
(RAN) & the Central Network (CN) for connecting the mobile user subscriber to the Public
Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) and Internet.

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 CONTENTS

1. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 FREE SPACE OPTICS
1.2 HISTORY OF FREE SPACE OPTICS
2. CHAPTER 2: FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO) TECHNOLOGY
2.1 MODULATION
2.2 DEMODULATION
3. CHAPTER 3: FREE SPACE OPTICAL NETWORKS
3.1 CLASSIFICATION OF FSO NETWORKS
4. CHAPTER 4: FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO) SECURITY
5. CHAPTER 5: ADVANTAGES OF FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO)
6. CHAPTER 6: APPLICATIONS OF FSO
7. CHAPTER 7: CHALLENGES FACED BY FSO
8. CONCLUSION
9. REFERENCES

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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Optical communication system can also be named as optical telecommunication system. It
was started in 1970 and works in 800nm-1600nm wavelength range. In this system, light
is used for communicating the information. The bandwidth of the optical communication
system is 1000 times higher which helps in easy launching of the signals in the form of
light. In this system, many users communicate at the same time due to high bandwidth
easily. In optical communication system, the task is performed by using three parameters:
Transmitter, Channel and Receiver.

The function of the transmitter is to amplify, modulate, encode the message and convert
electrical signal into an optical signal. Semiconductor devices are commonly used in optical
transmitters like LED (Light-Emitting Diodes) and Laser diodes. The channel takes the
signal to its destination. It is a flexible and transparent fibre made up of high-quality silica
or plastic. It works similarly as a waveguide for transmitting light from one end of the fibre
to another. It is mainly used for long distance transmission and with higher data rates than
wire cables. The receiver generates the message signal from the received input signal. The
photo detector is the prime component of the optical receiver which converts light into
electricity by using the photoelectric effect

It has extremely high bandwidth and along with this, many users communicate easily at the
same time. It has a low manufacturing cost with Bit Error Ratio (BER) of 10-6 [12]. But it
has some disadvantages also that it can only be done through point to point communication
and propagation of light is unidirectional. But the disadvantages of optical fibre
communication are removed by Free Space Optical Communication.

1.1 FREE SPACE OPTICS

Free Space Optics (FSO) communications, also called Free Space Photonics (FSP) or
Optical Wireless, refers to the transmission of modulated visible or infrared (IR) beams
through the atmosphere to obtain optical communications. Like fibre, Free Space Optics
(FSO) uses lasers to transmit data, but instead of enclosing the data stream in a glass fibre,

8
it is transmitted through the air. Free Space Optics (FSO) works on the same basic principle
as Infrared television remote controls or wireless keyboards.

FSO is a line-of-sight technology, which enables optical transmission up to 2.5 Gbps of

data, voice and video communications, allowing optical connectivity without deploying
fibre optic cable or securing spectrum licenses. Free space optics require light, which
can be focused by using either light emitting diodes (LED) or LASERS (light
amplification by stimulated emission of radiation). The use of lasers is a simple concept
similar to optical transmissions using fibre-optic cables, the only difference being the
medium. As long as there is a clear line of sight between the source and the destination
and enough transmitter power, communication is possible virtually at the speed of light.
Because light travels through air faster than it does through glass, so it is fair to classify
FSO as optical communication at the speed of light.

1.2 HISTORY OF FREE SPACE OPTICS

The engineering maturity of Free Space Optics (FSO) is often underestimated, due to a
misunderstanding of how long Free Space Optics (FSO) systems have been under
development. Historically, Free Space Optics (FSO) or optical wireless communications
was first demonstrated by Alexander Graham Bell in the late nineteenth century (prior
to his demonstration of the telephone!). Bell’s Free Space Optics (FSO) experiment
converted voice sounds into telephone signals and transmitted them between receivers
through free air space along a beam of light for a distance of some 600 feet. Calling his
experimental device, the “photophone”, Bell considered this optical technology – and
not the telephone – his preeminent invention because it did not require wires for
transmission. Although Bell’s photophone never became a commercial reality, it
demonstrated the basic principle of optical communications. Essentially all of the
engineering of today’s Free Space Optics (FSO) or free space optical communications
systems was done over the past 40 years or so, mostly for defence applications. By
addressing the principal engineering challenges of Free Space Optics (FSO), this
aerospace/defence activity established a strong foundation upon which today’s
commercial laser-based Free Space Optics (FSO) systems are based.

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Chapter 2
FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO) TECHNOLOGY
A source producing data input is to be transmitted to a remote destination. This source has
its output modulated onto an optical carrier; laser or LED, which is then transmitted as an
optic al field through the atmospheric channel. The important aspects of the optical
transmitter system are size, power, and beam quality, which determine laser intensity and
minimum divergence obtainable from the system. At the receiver, the field is optically
collected and detected, generally in the presence of noise interference, signal distortion,
and background radiation. On the receiver side, important features are the aperture size and
the f/-number, which determine the amount of the collected light and the detector field-of-
view (FOV). The transmit optics consists of lens assembly (Plano convex lenses) and
receiver Optics consist of telescope units to receive the incident light.

The choice of LED vs. Laser Diode as a light source in a wireless optical transmission
product depends on the target application, and the related performance, cost and reliability
requirements of the overall solution being designed. Long range, very high speed (gigabit
or more) point-to-point FSO systems require laser diodes. However, shorter range LED
based systems can achieve high-speed optical system performance, while dramatically
reducing the overall system size and cost.

Free Space Optics (FSO) systems can function over distances of several kilometres.
As long as there is a clear line of sight between the source and the destination, and
enough transmitter power, Free Space Optics (FSO) communication is possible

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2.1 MODULATION

Firstly, the incoming data stream is converted from serial to parallel "n" independent
streams. These streams are encoded in parallel by an encoder. In the parallel encoder, a data
block is composed by taking one bit out of each data sequence, each time the data blocks
are encoded. The parity check bits are added and transmitted on "k" exclusive channels,
which have same rate as the data sequence and are also generated by the encoder. Hence,
this parallel encoder makes an (l, l + k, n) code, where n + k is the codeword length.
Secondly, these n + k codeword sequences are modulated into OOK or PPM codes on each
channel. At the optical modulator, these code sequences modulate each diode with a
different wavelength and are multiplexed. In the multiplexer, each optical signal from
channels is focused on an optical fibre.

Modulation techniques

On and Off Keying (OOK) Modulation: On-off keying (OOK) the simplest form of
modulation that represents digital data as the presence or absence of a carrier wave. In its
simplest form, the presence of a carrier for a specific duration represents a binary one, while
its absence for the same duration represents a binary zero.

Pulse Position Modulation: Pulse-position modulation (PPM) is a form of

signal modulation in which M message bits are encoded by transmitting a single pulse in
one of possible time-shifts. This is repeated every T-seconds, such that the transmitted bit
rate is M/T bits per second. It is primarily useful for optical communications systems,
where there tends to be little or no multipath interference.

2.2 DEMODULATION

At the receiver, the transmitted pulses are received together with the ambient light noise.
These multiplexed signals are separated in accordance with their carrier wavelength. The
optical filter is used as the de-multiplexer. These optical band-pass filters are usually
constructed of multiple thin dielectric layers, and can achieve narrow bandwidths. These
separated signals passed to the photo diode array, demodulated by pulse demodulator, and
then decoded in parallel by the parallel decoder. Finally, these parallel data blocks are
parallel to serial converted to retrieve the original data.

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Chapter 3
FREE SPACE OPTICAL NETWORKS
Free Space Optical (FSO) networks, also known as optical wireless networks, have
emerged as viable candidates for broadband wireless communications in the near future.
The range of the potential application of FSO networks is extensive, from home to satellite.
However, FSO networks have not been popularized because of insufficient availability and
reliability. Researchers have focused on the problems in the physical layer in order to
exploit the properties of wireless optical channels. However, recent technological
developments with successful results make it practical to explore the advantages of the high
bandwidth. Some researchers have begun to focus on the problems of network and upper
layers in FSO networks.

Wireless communications have beneficial properties not found in wired communications,

such as the lower deployment cost due to the lack of having to ditch and lay down cables,
ease of construction of network topology, flexible maintenance of operating networks, and
soon. Wireless communications also allow users of mobile devices to access the Internet at
any time and many locations. For instance, IEEE802.11 (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, and IrDA are
intended for short-range wireless data communications, while Long-Term Evolution (LTE)
is for long-range wireless communication for both mobile phones and data terminals. As
the number of mobile devices continue to increase, leading to the establishment of
ubiquitous networks, wireless communication services are now indispensable to many
people, like water and electricity supplies. Therefore, the volume of data traffic carried on
wireless networks is growing at an unprecedented speed. In addition, data sharing in various
multimedia services, like AOD (Audio on Demand), VOD (Video on Demand), and P2P
(Peer-to-Peer) stimulates the necessity of higher data rate networks.

To meet the high demand for wireless capacity, radio-based wireless communications have
enjoyed widespread use to this point, but have limitations on scalability and bandwidth.
For example, there are considerable technical problems in Wireless Local Area Networks
(LANs), one of the major wireless access technologies, which limit the support of an ever-
increasing volume of data services. In particular, wireless LANs suffer from (i) low end-
to-end throughput due to the limitation imposed by raw channel capacity and forwarding
load] (ii) high overhead of MAC protocols which further reduces the available throughput,
and (iii) fairness issue and even interruption of flows that are hops away from an Internet
entry point.
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To this end, FSO networks are considered to be a strong supplementary option and provide
an effective solution to these issues. Their advantages over radio wireless networks are
outlined below.

 Optical wireless links provide high data rates to support broadband data services.
There exist commercial transceivers that support Gbps data rates.
 The optical spectrum is license-free. Therefore, there is no need to obtain
permission to use the optical channels; considerable spectrum licensing fees can be
saved comparing to other wireless Radio Frequency (RF) based technologies.
 Optical beams are immune to electromagnetic interference.
 Unlike RF signals, optical components are inexpensive and consume less power.
 Light sources with the same specifications can be reused in over-lapping
deployment areas or rooms in the building since light beams cannot penetrate walls,
resulting in negligible mutual interference

Two main problems, however, have hampered the practical deployment of wireless optical
networks. The first problem is atmospheric turbulence, which makes link quality unreliable.
Atmospheric turbulence affects the propagation of optical signals, leading to degraded
performance directly under various forms such as SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio), BER (Bit
per Error Rate), outage frequency, and so on. The second problem involves the PAT
(Pointing, Acquisition, and Tracking) technique, which is extremely important in FSO
systems because of its unguided narrow beam propagation through free space.

3.1 CLASSIFICATION OF FSO NETWORKS

Due to their high potential for a broad spectrum of applications, FSO networks have been
investigated and employed for networks that span a distance from a few meters to over
thousands of kilometres. As illustrated in figure, FSO networks can be roughly classified
into three types according to the locations of optical transmitters and receivers and network
range.

1. Optical Wireless Satellite Networks (OWSNs)

2. Optical Wireless Terrestrial Networks (OWTNs)
3. Optical Wireless Home Networks (OWHNs)

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1. Optical Wireless Satellite Networks (OWSNs)

OWSNs are designed to provide high-bandwidth, optical wireless network access to end-
users by making use of satellites, which cover large areas of the earth. OWSNs establish a
global space backbone network with optical links, since satellites can support any terrestrial
residents regardless of topographical limitations as long as a Line-of-Sight (LOS) space
path exists. Therefore, OWSNs offer high quality data services even to isolated areas such
as an island, a remote farm, a ship on the ocean, an aircraft, and so forth. OWSNs consist
of different types of free-space links including inter-satellite, satellite-to-air, and satellite-
to-surface optical links.

2. Optical Wireless Terrestrial Networks (OWTNs)

OWTNs, as known as outdoor FSO networks, establish a point-to-point and LOS optical
wireless connection between two transceivers through outdoor atmospheric turbulence
channels. Due to the LOS requirement, the distance of light propagation through free
atmospheric space is from hundreds of meters up to tens of kilometres. This
telecommunication paradigm has great potential for wireless communications and is
becoming an important means for broadband internet access.

3. Optical Wireless Home Networks (OWHNs)

OWHNs, also known as indoor FSO networks, are desirable for wireless broadband
communications inside houses and offices. OWHNs are used to construct a LAN comprised
of cells, where each cell is one of the divided spaces in the building. Usually each cell has
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a base station to which several terminals are connected with short-range optical wireless
links such as infrared and Light Emitting Diode (LED). Unlike radio waves, infrared and
LED beams cannot penetrate walls. Each wireless optical cell should be confined to a room
and needs to be connected to and integrated with a broadband backbone infrastructure.
Usually each cell is free from interference from neighbouring cells. As a result, the same
beam specifications are reused.

To design these FSO networks and make a practical use out of it, several factors have to be
taken care of. Since the FSO technology is still in a developing stage, the performance of
these networks is yet to be known.

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Chapter 4
FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO) SECURITY
Security is an important element of data transmission, irrespective of the network topology.
The common perception of wireless is that it offers less security than wireline
connections. In fact, Free Space Optics (FSO) is far more secure than RF or other
wireless-based transmission technologies for several reasons:

 Free Space Optics (FSO) laser beams cannot be detected with spectrum
analysers or RF meters
 Free Space Optics (FSO) laser transmissions are optical and travel along a
line of sight path that cannot be intercepted easily. It requires a matching
Free Space Optics (FSO) transceiver carefully aligned to complete the
transmission. Interception is very difficult and extremely unlikely
 The laser beams generated by Free Space Optics (FSO) systems are narrow
and invisible, making them harder to find and even harder to intercept and
crack
 Data can be transmitted over an encrypted connection adding to the degree
of security available in Free Space Optics (FSO) network transmissions

The Free-Space Optic systems are normally installed as high as possible so that passing
cars, trucks or other moving things do not interfere with the beam. A bird can disrupt
communication but it is only momentary and the system will very quickly recover. By
contrast, beam-tapping would require that a mirror or other device remain in the beam path
for extended periods of time. Care would need to be taken by the intruder to not disrupt
either beam because if one beam is interrupted the other beam would automatically go into
failure recovery mode and would not transmit any data of interest to the intruder.

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Chapter 5
ADVANTAGES OF FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO)
Unlike radio and microwave systems FSO is an optical technology and no spectrum
licensing or frequency co-ordination with other users is required. Interference from or to
other system or equipment is not a concern and the point to point laser signal is extremely
difficult to intercept and therefore secure. Data rate comparable to OFC can be obtained
with very low error rate and the extremely narrow laser beam which enables unlimited
number of separate FSO links to be installed in a given location. Major advantages of
FSO are listed below:

 Ease of deployment
 Can be used to power devices
 License-free long-range operation (in contrast with radio communication)
 High bit rates
 Low bit error rates
 Immunity to electromagnetic interference
 Increased security when working with narrow beam(s).
 Since FSO units can receive and transmit through windows it reduces the need to
compete for roof space, simplifying wiring and cabling.
 Zero chances of network failure.
 Virtually unlimited bandwidth.

It also has a few disadvantages. For terrestrial applications, the principal limiting factors
are: Beam dispersion, atmospheric absorption, rain, fog, snow, interference from
background light sources (including the sun), shadowing, pointing stability in wind, and
pollution

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Chapter 6
APPLICATIONS OF FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO)
FSO has several applications in metro networks, where an optical gap exists between the
network core and network edge. FSO delivers cost-effective optical connectivity and faster
returns on investment (ROI) for enterprises and service providers. The number of FSO uses
in metro networks and beyond continues to grow as high band-width demands and need for
economically viable optical solutions outpace the deployment of fibre-optic cable. FSO has
moved from niche to mainstream:

1. Metro network extension:

FSO can be deployed to extend an existing metro ring or to connect new networks. These
links generally do not reach the ultimate end user but are more an application for the core
of the network.

2. Enterprise:
The flexibility of FSO allows it to be deployed in many enterprise applications, such as
LAN-to-LAN connectivity, Storage Area Networks, and intra-campus connections.

3. Last-mile connectivity:
These are the links that reach the end user. They can be deployed in point-to-point, point-
to multipoint, ring or mesh connections.

4. Fibre complement:
FSO may also be deployed as a redundant link to back up fibre. Most operators deploying
fibre. Most operators deploying fibre for business applications connect two fibres to
secure a reliable service plus back up in the event of outage. Instead of deploying two fibre
links, operators could opt to deploy an FSO system as the redundant link.

5. Access:
FSO can also be deployed in access applications such as gigabit Ethernet access. Service
providers can use FSO to provide high capacity link to business centres.

6. Backhaul:
FSO can be used for backhaul, such as LMDS or cellular backhaul as well as gigabit
Ethernet "off-net" to transport network backhaul.

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7. Disaster management:
FSO can be used effectively deployed for disaster management. in the event of any fibre
break FSO can be used to quickly restore the network.

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Chapter 7
CHALLENGES FACED BY FSO
The advantages of free space optical wireless or Free Space Optics (FSO) do not come
without some cost. When light is transmitted through optical fibre, transmission
integrity is quite predictable – barring unforeseen events such as backhoes or animal
interference. When light is transmitted through the air, as with Free Space Optics
(FSO) optical wireless systems, it must contend with a a complex and not always
quantifiable subject - the atmosphere.

 FOG AND FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO)

Fog substantially attenuates visible radiation, and it has a similar affect on the near -
infrared wavelengths that are employed in Free Space Optics (FSO) systems. Note
that the effect of fog on Free Space Optics (FSO) optical wireless radiatio n is entirely
analogous to the attenuation – and fades – suffered by RF wireless systems due to
rainfall. Similar to the case of rain attenuation with RF wireless, fog attenuation is not
a “show-stopper” for Free Space Optics (FSO) optical wireless, because the optical
link can be engineered such that, for a large fraction of the time, an acceptable power
will be received even in the presence of heavy fog. Free Space Optics (FSO) optical
wireless-based communication systems can be enhanced to yield even greater
availabilities.

 PHYSICAL OBSTRUCTIONS AND FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO)

Free Space Optics (FSO) products which have widely spaced redundant transmitters
and large receive optics will all but eliminate interference concerns from objects such
as birds. On a typical day, an object covering 98% of the receive aperture and all but
1 transmitter; will not cause an Free Space Optics (FSO) link to drop out. Thus birds
are unlikely to have any impact on Free Space Optics (FSO) transmission .

 FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO) POINTING STABILITY – BUILDING

SWAY, TOWER MOVEMENT
Fixed pointed Free Space Optics (FSO) systems are designed to be capable of handling
the vast majority of movement found in deployments on buildings. The combination
of effective beam divergence and a well matched receive Field-of-View (FOV)
provide for an extremely robust fixed pointed Free Space Optics (FSO) system
suitable for most deployments. Fixed-pointed Free Space Optics (FSO) systems are
20
generally preferred over actively-tracked Free Space Optics (FSO) systems due to
their lower cost.

 SCINTILLATION AND FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO)

Performance of many Free Space Optics (FSO) optical wireless systems is adversely
affected by scintillation on bright sunny days; the effects of which are typically
reflected in BER statistics. Some optical wireless products have a unique combination
of large aperture receiver, widely spaced transmitters, finely tuned receive filtering,
and automatic gain control characteristics. In addition, certain optical wireless
systems also apply a clock recovery phase-lock-loop time constant that all but
eliminate the affects of atmospheric scintillation and jitter transference.

 SOLAR INTERFERENCE AND FREE SPACE OPTICS (FSO)

Solar interference in Free Space Optics (FSO) free space optical systems operating at
1550 nm can be combatted in two ways. The first is a long-pass optical filter window
used to block all optical wavelengths below 850 nm from entering the system; the
second is an optical narrowband filter proceeding the receive detector used to filter
all but the wavelength actually used for intersystem communications. To handle off -
axis solar energy, two spatial filters have been implemented in FSO systems, allowing
them to operate unaffected by solar interference that is more than 1.5 degrees off-axis.

21
 CONCLUSION
We have discussed in detail how FSO technology can be rapidly deployed to provide
immediate service to the customers at a low initial investment, without any licensing hurdle
making high speed, high bandwidth communication possible. The future will require higher
and higher bandwidth solutions to meet the needs of corporations and individuals. Cost
effective alternatives need to be found to augment the legacy WAN technologies in
providing secure, redundant links between corporate resources, the Internet and the
telephone company carriers. Free-Space Optics can meet these needs and will be used in
an ever-increasing way to provide these solutions in the future.

Though not very popular in India at the moment, FSO has a tremendous scope for
deployment companies like CISCO, LIGHT POIN few other have made huge investment
to promote this technology in the market. It is only a matter of time before the customers
realized, the benefits of FSO and the technology deployed in large scale.

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 REFERENCES

1. Dinesh Gupta, Preksha Sharma, Roshika Tandon, Heena Sharma, Mukul Gupta,
“Free space optical communication”. International Journal of Scientific and
Technical Advancements, Volume 4, Issue 1, pp. 55-60, 2018.
2. Sawhil, Swadha Agarwal, Yashasvi Singhal, Priyanka Bhardwaj, “An Overview
of Free Space Optical Communication”. International Journal of Engineering
Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 55 Number-3 January 2018.
3. M.Sushma Sri and Dr.A.Venkata Ramana, “Free Space Optical Communication”,
International Journal for Modern Trends in Science and Technology, Vol. 03,
Issue 05, May 2017, pp. 80-83.
4. Mark Steege, “Free-Space Optics: A Viable, Secure Last-Mile Solution?”. SANS
Institute Information Security Reading Room.
5. In Keun Sonb, Shiwen Mao, “A survey of free space optical networks”. Digital
Communications and Networks 3 (2017) 67–77.
6. Free Space Optics (FSO), Wikipedia.

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Course Outcomes

CO1: Students will be able to explain emerging technologies and recent developments in
the field.

CO2: Students will be able to appreciate latest inventions and also analyse different
technologies and recognize innovative methods for further developments for the need of
mankind.

CO3: Students will be able to exhibit effective communication and presentation skills.

CO-PO mapping table

PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO1 PO1 PO1 PSO PSO

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 1 2
CO
1
CO
2
CO
3

Signature of the guide

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