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Photonic integration technologies for indoor optical wireless communications

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Abstract

Indoor optical wireless communication (OWC) using steerable infrared beams is regarded as an important component in future 5G network. Photonic integration technologies can meet the criteria of such application, and provide low-cost, high-performance and very compact chips. In this paper, we review the recent development of photonic integration technologies suitable for indoor OWC application, and discuss in detail the current status and future opportunities of several key devices, such as the chip to free space couplers, integrated receivers and transmitters.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) Gravitation Project Integrated Nanophotonics, and European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant Projects NOLIMITS (Grant No. 291439) and BROWSE (Grant No. 291632).

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Correspondence to Yuqing Jiao.

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Jiao, Y., Cao, Z. Photonic integration technologies for indoor optical wireless communications. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 61, 080404 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-018-9391-1

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