On the use of amplification in Visible Light Communication systems

Abstract

Visible Light Communications (VLC) are an evolving technology that employs LED lamps to transfer data and has the potential to provide increased bandwidth in the following years. However, due to the high attenuation losses in the optical path, VLC systems generally present a short range, reaching distances not longer than a few meters. Although this may be suitable for small environments, there may be scenarios where the visible light needs to reach longer distances. In this paper, we examine the utilization of electrical and optical amplification in a relay communication link as a means to increase the link length in VLC systems.