Organic solar cells as high-speed data detectors for visible light communication
Abstract
We show that solar cells, widely used in portable devices for power generation, can simultaneously extract a high-speed data signal in an optical wireless communication link. This Letter reports, to the best of our knowledge, the first use of an organic solar cell as an energy-harvesting receiver for visible light communications (VLCs). While generating maximum power in the cell, the communication link can deliver a data rate of 34.2 Mbps with a bit error rate of 4.08 x 10(-4) using an implementation of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing. This approach could lead to printed optical data receivers in future eco-friendly VLC systems. Simultaneous functions of data communication and energy harvesting have great implications for the connectivity of future smart devices, many of which could become self-powered units as part of the "Internet of Things."
Citation
Zhang , S , Tsonev , D , Videv , S , Ghosh , S , Turnbull , G A , Samuel , I D W & Haas , H 2015 , ' Organic solar cells as high-speed data detectors for visible light communication ' , Optica , vol. 2 , no. 7 , pp. 607-610 . https://doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.2.000607
Publication
Optica
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
2334-2536Type
Journal article
Description
Funding: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (EP/I00243X, EP/K00042X/1, EP/K008757/1).Collections
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