Optical communications in challenging environments

Visible light communication is an emerging field that is likely to form a key strand of the next generations of communications protocols offering increased bandwidth compared to radio frequency (RF) comms, license-free operation, and, in some situations, increased security.

The development of micro-LED's and visible laser diode sources has enabled high data rate demonstrations of both line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight architectures, in particular when coupled with the exquisite sensitivity and timing capabilities of modern single-photon detectors. This project seeks to exploit advances in sources and detectors together with optical design to develop improved optical communications systems for challenging environments.

These environments could be hampered by smoke, dust, mist, or turbid water. They could be complex and cluttered or have high background illumination. Terrestrial and space-borne systems may be addressed, with their particular challenges in size, weight, power, and robustness.
Use will be made of Fraunhofer prototyping expertise with a view to real world deployment and demonstrations.

Working within the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics alongside researchers, engineers, and other students, the EngD student shall also be required to work in multidisciplinary teams within project consortia spanning academia and industry.
Free-space optical communication is on the cusp of really coming of age, both from necessity (RF spectral congestions) and modern developments in hardware and protocols. However, challenges remain in terms of systems practical for deployment in various scenarios, and ingenuity is required to find the approaches that best balance various competing factors (data rates, ranges, pointing stability requirements to name a few) such that systems can be compact and affordable. The precise use cases targeted will depend upon industrial and commercial priorities at the time the student begins the research phase of the programme.

Complementing our Pathways to Impact document, here we state the expected real-world impact, which is of course the leading priority for our industrial partners. Their confidence that the proposed CDT will deliver valuable scientific, engineering and commercial impact is emphasized by their overwhelming financial support (£4.38M from industry in the form of cash contributions, and further in-kind support of £5.56M).

Here we summarize what will be the impacts expected from the proposed CDT.

(1) Impact on People
(a) Students
The CDT will have its major impact on the students themselves, by providing them with new understanding, skills and abilities (technical, business, professional), and by enhancing their employability.
(b) The UK public
The engagement planned in the CDT will educate and inform the general public about the high quality science and engineering being pursued by researchers in the CDT, and will also contribute to raising the profile of this mode of doctoral training -- particularly important since the public have limited awareness of the mechanisms through which research scientists are trained.

(2) Impact on Knowledge
New scientific knowledge and engineering know-how will be generated by the CDT. Theses, conference / journal papers and patents will be published to disseminate this knowledge.

(3) Impact on UK industry and economy
UK companies will gain a competitive advantage by using know-how and new techniques generated by CDT researchers.
Companies will also gain from improved recruitment and retention of high quality staff.
Longer term economic impacts will be felt as increased turnover and profitability for companies, and perhaps other impacts such as the generation / segmentation of new markets, and companies receiving inward investment for new products.

(4) Impact on Society
Photonic imaging, sensing and related devices and analytical techniques underpin many of products and services that UK industry markets either to consumers or to other businesses. Reskilling of the workforce with an emphasis on promoting technical leadership is central to EPSRC's Productive Nation prosperity outcome, and our CDT will achieve exactly this through its development of future industrially engaged scientists, engineers and innovators. The impact that these individuals will have on society will be manifested through their contribution to the creation of new products and services that improve the quality of life in sectors like transport, dependable energy networks, security and communications.

Greater internationalisation of the cohort of CDT researchers is expected from some of the CDT activities (e.g. international summer schools), with the potential impact of greater collaboration in the future between the next generations of UK and international researchers.